Neptune in Astrology
Planetary Bodies: The Meaning of the Planets, Part 9
The following post is supplemental material to my virtual classes, which you can purchase here.
Neptune in Astrology
The planet of dreams, illusions, fantasies, photography and film, make believe, psychic qualities, and mental wellness. Neptune’s celestial home is the constellation of Pisces. It governs the 12th House in the birth chart. Universal love and paranoia are Neptunian in nature, as are demoralization and spiritual activism. This is a bit of a paradoxical persona to say the least.
According to NASA, Neptune was discovered on the nights of September 24 and 25, 1846. Interestingly, at that time, Neptune was Retrograde (reviewing and looking back) in the sign of Aquarius (related to discovery and invention). Saturn was also Retrograde in Aquarius at that time, exactly Conjunct Neptune at 25 degrees. Both were in an exact Sextile to Pluto Retrograde in Aries, also at 25 degrees.
Neptune transits all 12 zodiac signs over a period of 165 years, spending around 14 years in each sign. It’s a generational planet depicting spiritual and societal ideals. It creates a sense of nostalgia and sentimentality (along with the Moon), more so or less by the zodiac it’s placed in.
Escapism, disassociation, and checking out are all Neptunian behaviors. Sharing sacred spaces to safely “tune out” is high-key alignment with this planet’s energies. However, addictions are commonly connected with Neptune Aspects in the birth chart, so be aware of your limits in all essences. There’s a reason Neptune is associated with hospitals, jails, religion, and cults: there’s not always a clear exit.
Neptune is a devotional planet that operates without emphasis on consequences. It can be associated with cults. It can shape experiences of isolation as well as unity. Again, paradoxical. A boundaryless planet, Neptune lends the experience of wearing “rosy red glasses” and may leave us mistaking other people’s intentions for good when instead, they are exploitive in nature.
Limitless expressions of identity, love, creativity, and artistry are deeply Neptunian. Truth and reality can feel like a cut into the colorful fabric of Neptune’s vast imagination. Avoidance and deception also fall into Neptune’s Astrological rulership.