TL;DR
Neptune is the planet of illusions, mystery and spirituality. Knowing this, we can explore what influence each Neptune sign has had over the generations, what Neptune Numerology is and how we can understand the impact of Neptune on our daily life. Learn all about Neptune aspects in the natal chart, Neptune horoscopes and how the planet impacts our behavior.Neptune History
It was the Romans who began naming the planets after their beloved gods. However, as the Romans were not equipped with the technology of latter centuries, they were unable to spot and name the distant, outlying planets. After the invention of telescopes, Astronomers decided to continue the Roman legacy and carried on naming planets after Roman gods, leaving us with the aptly named Neptune, after the god of the seas. Neptune earned this name for its deep blue hue and watery appearance. However, despite the planet’s beauty, Neptune bears an incredibly harsh environment that makes sustaining any organism an impossibility. It orbits the Sun at a distance almost 30 times further than Earth, resulting in a dark, cold and hostile planet. It can fall to temperatures below -350 degrees F and, as such, is one of the coldest places existing in the solar system.
Neptune Planet Meaning
Due to Neptune’s mystery as a planet situated so far away, it represents intuition, emotional connections, dreams and illusions. It is a planet of mystique and the unknown, symbolizing aspects of our lives that are veiled and less transparent. Neptune also governs our imagination, psychic abilities and spirituality, again due to its mysterious, detached nature. The areas of our lives in which we seek to break free from norms, rebel against expectations and challenge the status quo are all guided by Neptunes energy. However, despite the Neptune nonconformist streak, it is still considered a passive planet, rather than the action-driven Mercury or Mars. This is because the planet is slow moving and concerns many areas linked to contemplation and the mind.
Neptune Zodiac Signs
In modern astrology, the sign ruled by Neptune is Pisces. However, traditional astrology views Pisces’ planetary ruler as Jupiter. This means that both Jupiter and Neptune have a strong, spiritual connection with Pisces, but Pisceans are open to choosing the planet that they feel the greatest affinity with. With that in mind, Pisces is thought to possess many of the traits and characteristics exuded by Neptune itself; as Neptune is the planet of dreams, the subconscious, and fantasies, we can start to understand why Pisces is known for being one of the most emotional signs the the zodiac. Pisces also mirrors Neptune’s connection to outer realms and the unexplained, and since Neptune represents the transcendence of reality through illusion, it also describes the artistic creativity of Pisces.
What Does Neptune Mean in Astrology?
Neptune governs both creativity and divinity, but also our spirituality, determining how we connect to the universe. In a sense, Neptune is the light, while you are the switch. The planet also teaches us how to have both self-compassion and forgiveness for others through its healing energy. Also, as a planet characterized by mercy and kindness, Neptune rules over those who are sweet, compassionate, and empathetic. These individuals are typically free from ego although can be cagey when it comes to expressing their emotions. Alongside this, some people born under Neptune often have incredibly vivid dreams, with some even having psychic abilities, understanding things about you that you may not even know yourself.
Neptune Retrograde Meaning
Saturn has a fairly consistent cycle, turning retrograde just over every twelve months, with the period lasting about 4.5 months at a time. As such, Neptune is in retrograde about 40 percent of the time, meaning its retrograde influence is subtle but pervasive. The planet itself is seen as veiled and mysterious so when direct, helps us to bury unwanted emotions and put on a brave face. However, when in backwards orbit, illusions are shattered and truths begin to emerge. We end up face-to-face with harsh realities and find ourselves picking up the pieces after pushing aside the truth. While this means that Neptune retrograde is often a tumultuous, challenging time for us, it is necessary in order for us to grow and leave our demons behind.
Neptune Numerology
Neptune governs those born on the 7th, 16th and 25th of any month, or whose life path number is seven. As such, the qualities of Neptune are most overt in number seven people. In numerology, seven is considered a contemplative and wise number - a number for thinkers rather than doers. Those ruled by seven are not satisfied by materialism, surface-level discussion and pretension; they want real, authentic and emotional connections and despise frivolousness. Number sevens also have an appreciation for understanding others. They are fantastic listeners, making sure to ask questions, research and engage with the subject matters that are important to others. While Neptune and Pisces are both deeply spiritual cosmic entities, spirituality is trumped by intellect for number seven as a whole. It is far more analytical and information-driven, seeking to find answers to problems. That being said, number seven people benefit greatly from tuning into their spiritual side. They may try to fight emotion with logic, but ultimately benefit when allowing their heart to take over every once in a while.
What is my Neptune Sign?
You probably already know your Sun, Moon, and Rising signs, and possibly even your Mercury sign. However, we all have a sign for every planet in the solar system, and today, we’re looking at Neptune. When we talk about our ‘Neptune sign’, we are referring to the position of Neptune at the time we were born. Like Uranus, Neptune is one of the outermost planets in the solar system, meaning it orbits far slower and and therefore affects the bigger-picture themes in our lives more so than the planets closer to the Sun, like Mercury and Venus. These quicker-orbiting planets transit through the signs far more rapidly than Neptune and have a greater impact on the happenings of our day-to-day life. Neptune spends roughly 14 years in each sign, taking about 160 years to complete a full zodiac circle. For instance, the last time Neptune transited into a new sign was 2012 and it will remain there until 2026. This is the first time it's returned to Pisces since 1862!
Neptune Sign Meaning
Whatever zodiac sign Neptune was situated in at the time of your birth is significant in painting a picture of how you deal with the aspects of life governed by the planet, namely, all areas concerning spirituality, emotions and intuition. From this, we can view these aspects through the lens of each sign to truly understand Neptune’s influence in our lives. With this in mind, Neptune spends a very long time in each sign when transiting through the zodiac circle. As such, Neptune has far greater generational influence than influence on an individual, day-to-day level. So, while Neptune’s energy may not be especially personal, we can see its societal effect over decades, shaping the world we live in. On the other hand, Neptune turns retrograde fairly frequently, meaning that we can gain more personal insight from our Neptune sign by knowing the motion of its travel at the time of our birth; having Neptune retrograde in your natal chart often means a person is more transparent, open and has stronger manifestation skills than a person with Neptune direct.
Neptune in Aries
There is an inevitable clash when the fiery, headstrong sign of Aries is met by the mysterious, elusive planet of Neptune. This creates an environment of intensity, strife and conflict, birthing profound changes in societal structure. When Neptune was last in Aries, the United States was in the throes of the Civil War, giving way to a completely new political system in the nation.
Neptune in Taurus
Neptune, the planet of dreams, sits comfortably in the earthy, practicality of Taurus. When Neptune was last in Taurus, society was beginning to feel the effects of booming industrial production and the growth of commercialism. This is because Taurus has a luxurious, decadent energy, being money-oriented and often driven by materialism, while Neptune is the planet of dreams and big-thinking.
Neptune in Gemini
Gemini, an already flighty, airy and whimsical sign is spurred on by Neptune’s dreamy, contemplative energy. So, while little ‘gets done’ in this placement, the last time Neptune was in Gemini saw the birth of telecommunications technology; it was during this time that the telephone, phonograph and radio came into existence, mirroring Gemini’s strong communicative abilities.
Neptune in Cancer
Emotions run high when Neptune transits through Cancer. As Cancer is a sensitive, thoughtful sign, and Neptune is the planet of mystery and illusion, this placement can lead to a lot of emotional turmoil. As such, people who were born with this placement may struggle to verbalize their feelings and fall into periods of negative rumination. Neptune was last in Cancer between 1902 and 1915, marking the start of the First World War.
Neptune in Leo
Dreams and fantasy take precedence when Neptune transits through bold Leo, the zodiac’s biggest lover of attention. The last time Neptune was in Leo, was the roaring 20’s - a time of exuberance, luxury and delusions. People threw caution to the wind and lived life to the fullest, thinking hedonistically and not looking long-term.
Neptune in Virgo
The last time we saw Neptune in Virgo was during the Great Depression in the United States, following on from the flimsy optimism and excess of Neptune in Leo in decades prior. This austere era lines up with the industrious, practical and realistic energy exuded by Virgo, as the nation had no choice but to bound together and find a solution to the immense problems faced by society.
Neptune in Libra
As Libra’s energy is one of diplomacy and empathy, many progressive, historic events took place when Neptune was last in the sign; the Second World War came to an end, the United Nations was founded and India gained its independence from the British Empire. That said, Libra in Neptune can sometimes struggle to commit and will seek to find faults in others.
Neptune in Scorpio
Neptune was last in Scorpio at the time of sexual revolution during the swinging 60s. As Neptune’s energy is one of mysticism, fantasy and illusion, and Scorpio governs our sexuality, individuals born during this time possess a counter-culture streak within them. However, while the 60s led to greater self-expression and the destruction of social norms, it was still an era of darkness, with the rise of crime and substance abuse.
Neptune in Sagittarius
Neptune in Sagittarius is a placement of optimism, activity and turning fantasy into reality. We last saw this placement in the 70s and up to the mid 80s, a time of technological revolution and innovation. Space travel was accelerating and more and more discoveries were being made every year, advancing our understanding of the universe.
Neptune in Capricorn
Neptune-in-Capricorn individuals are born between 1984 and 1998, almost perfectly encompassing the millennial generation. As Neptune breaks down barriers and Capricorn is the sign of structure, we see those born under this placement struggle to consolidate these polar forces. As such, we are left with a generation more likely to shun traditionality when it comes to their careers, owning property and starting families. It is an unstable generation where structural norms no longer provide the safety net that they once did in eras prior.
Neptune in Aquarius
Neptune in Aquarius people are energized by the idea of humanitarianism, causes greater than themselves and serving the community. For this placement, their role is about bettering the lives of others before that of their own. That being said, there is an element of delusionality in their heroism; they can forget that not all problems are simple fixes and that issues can arise when we neglect to care for ourselves.
Neptune in Pisces
Pisces is the sign Neptune is currently situated in. With the combination of Neptune’s illusions and Pisces’ emotionality, we find ourselves existing in an era of populists, egomaniacs and power-hungry leaders. Despite the many intentions and grand ideas proposed by these leaders, we can expect to see failures in delivery and false promises in the years to come.
Do you still want to know more about Neptune in astrology? There are many resources at Mysticsense that can guide you with your learning and provide insight for any other questions you may have. Get started learning more about your Neptune sign at Mysticsense today!
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