Emma Watson marks her 33rd birthday with very personal Instagram post

CNN  — 

Emma Watson has marked her 33rd birthday with a personal Instagram post after taking a step back from the public eye.

The British actress and former “Harry Potter” star, who celebrated the milestone over the weekend, returned to Instagram after a break from the platform and gave fans a detailed life update.

Alongside a series of black-and-white portraits taken last year, Watson shared some reflections, describing how she had “stepped away from (her) life.”

“This is 33. Holy moly. Before 29 I hadn’t even heard of a Saturn Return as a concept. Let’s just say that now I am well acquainted,” she wrote.

In astrology, the term “Saturn return” refers to when the planet Saturn has moved all the way through the zodiac back to the place where it was at the time of a person’s birth.

Getting candid about the highs and lows of the past couple of years, Watson said she had learned to surf “badly,” ridden horses, done “a lot of therapy” and “said goodbye to my Grandma and Grandpa.”

Watson also shared some accomplishments, including starting a women’s environmental investment fund, directing her first commercial, playing pickleball with boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard and being part of the “Harry Potter” reunion.

The “Beauty and the Beast” star has been absent from Instagram since December last year. In the update shared with her 70.5 million followers, Watson admitted that she had “felt really sad and really p*ssed off about a lot of things.”

According to Watson, whose acting credits include “Little Women” and “The Bling Ring,” she also “learned more about love and being a woman” during her time away.

She continued: “It took me three years but I have finally figured out a daily practice and can actually keep it for more than a few days in a row. I burned some things down. I eat green things now! I got obsessed with making Squarespace websites.”

Watson signed off by showing her gratitude to her loved ones.

“Thank you to the witches in my coven who were so pivotal in helping me arrive at where and who I am now,” she wrote. “You are my Avengers and you inspire me and kick ass. It takes a village, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And lastly - thank you to my brother @alex.s.watson for helping me find the most challenging things, with time, incredibly funny. Thank you @jessicaediehl - I’m obsessed with you. 😂”