Hi IQHunk!
For me, my natal Saturn14*Leo (just like yours, right?) is just barely in my 2nd house. It is pretty much stradling the 2nd / 3rd house cusp. I think I went through more upheavals and distress when Saturn was traveling through my 1st house! Even when I had Saturn conjunct Saturn with the exact degree I was feeling pretty good. It's like a nice solid foundation was being constructed for my temple remodel hehe.
Don't get me wrong, it hasn't been easy, I was just ready for the challenge (and this is the key, really)! I am absolutly energetically different and this is affecting my relationship with my boyfriend in a most profound way. It is pretty uncomfortable (but it's not terrible) and we'll just have to see what happens between us cuz I'm sure I do not know! This has to do partially with his Saturn0*Virgo conjunct his Asc28*Leo, so his is coming up very shortly. He's going through his stuff and I'm going through mine.
I totally agree with your saying that "The Saturn Return phenomenon behaves like a snowball rolling down the hill, gradually building up to a avalanche." I said above that even when I had Saturn conjunct Saturn it was fine. But a few degrees after it passed, Wow! I felt like I was going through a Dark Night of the Soul. I was crying a lot and I was very sensitive. I guess it was the weight of all my Karmas and the responsibility that I must take with that hit me like a ton of bricks. I got back on track pretty quickly with the help of close spiritual friends, Yoga & meditition (I started this during my SR), working with my Crystals (beautiful pieces of Maya), reading books with a high spiritual vibration (i.e. Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi, etc), and drawing/art. Also helping others has helped me a lot too!
Glad that you could share your thought with us IQ! Thanks
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`Who are you?' said the Caterpillar. This was not an encouraging opening for a conversation. Alice replied, rather shyly, `I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.'
~Lewis Carroll