Neptune has been in its home-sign of Pisces since 2011 making waves of reality-bending changes in our lives. Now, almost at the tail-end of its transit, at 27º Pisces, Neptune goes retrograde from June 30, 2023 until December 6, 2023. Whenever a planet starts to move backwards (Rx), we are taken back in time to re-trace our steps and make adjustments whenever/however necessary. We have entered the densest part of transits. Pluto, Saturn, Venus & Chiron are currently in retrograde, along with Jupiter, and Mars joining the Retrograde Party later in the year.
Neptune in Retrograde will take us out of our spiritual & psychic comfort zones, throwing us smack in the middle of situations that we were consciously and/or subconsciously oblivious to. There is always a sense of ‘a veil being lifted off of our eyes” when Neptune starts to move backwards astrologically. Neptune is the boundless, formless & limitless part of our human existence which seeks oneness, peace and spiritual liberation. So, during this period, we will feel disillusioned in the most confusing yet best way possible. Although, with Saturn also in Pisces (for the next 2-3 years), this ride won’t be an easy one.
Saturn is also retrograde in Pisces until November 4, 2023 making his presence known. When Neptune goes retrograde, we feel the past resurfacing, Memories of the past becoming more and more clearer, with immaculate details than we once could recall. Seeking redemption for the things that we didn’t do, almost as a form of taking personal accountability. But with Saturn Rx here, we will likely feel unworthy of redemption or closure, i.e., we are vulnerable to letting our remorse & pain to consume our conscious mind, rendering us unable to let go of mistakes whether we were responsible for them or not. So, this (collective) Retrograde season will have a magnifying effect on everything good & bad, but focusing more on the wrongs than the right.
Saturn’s influence can likely leave us feeling aimless (and beating ourselves up about that, w/ Pluto Rx in Capricorn). Old fears and illusions will now slip into our thoughts more easily, making us feel hopeless and powerless. Sometimes, this can also manifest as a feeling of disconnect from the universe/source/God, which can also mean that we start to doubt our own intuition greatly now. The disconnect from faith will further lead towards extreme rationality where everything is measured through practical means, further making us feel powerless and like a failure. Disillusionment and disenchantment, happen in almost a brutal way. Or, we will feel stuck in between the reality and other people’s illusionary bubble worlds, unable to find a way out (initially).
Depression and anxiety disorders will see a major peak, with many mental & nerve related problems becoming apparent. It brings a feeling of fatigue, as though we are battered emotionally, mentally & physically. If we are not fully aware of our routines, both conscious & subconscious ones, it is highly likely that we will start disassociating from reality altogether, almost as a defense mechanism, or in order not to deal with the traumatic memories that are resurfacing now. So, escapism through alcohol, food, substances or social media addictions can become harder to sustain. Chronic illnesses can resurface, especially if they are stress related. Overall, health issues are assured to make a come back, even if not severely, they may still frighten us especially if we have battled certain serious conditions previously. This retrograde period (at least until Saturn goes direct) will hence be a trying time, urging us to make necessary re-adjustments with regards to our health.
A decisive Opposition will take place around mid-August with Mars in Virgo (along with Mercury in Virgo). This can feel like a disconnect from your heart and mind, as if they are operating as two separate people. Highly critical reevaluation of your past, present & future can take place both internally and physically. You will however have to stay vigilant of anyone trying to hijack this crucial introspection, since they can easily project their opinions & insecurities onto you. Uranus Sextile Neptune and Trine Mars will help you with keeping this self-evaluation a sacred one which will ultimately lead to your conscious & subconscious evolution. Integrating your routines with rest, self-care with productivity, flow with stillness, and letting the past go with hope for the future will be helpful during this period (for the most part of Aug and Sept with Sun in Virgo’s Opposition).
People or situations that wronged you, will seep into your mind/dreams/thoughts, to either evoke a sense of nostalgia or fear based on your experiences with them. Strong connections to past events and people that you left behind will come up now only to be cleansed from your mind & energy for good this time. These experiences can intensify around the first week of November when Venus in Virgo will make a brief opposition to Neptune. Neptune/Pisces also represent unions and reunions, often speaking of soulful love, almost fairytale love stories. With Venus, the planet of Love & relationships Opposing Neptune, there may be tensions that rise out of nowhere. If you have placed someone a pedestal when they don’t deserve to (either due to your own high & fanatical expectations of them or through the effects of their intentional deceit & manipulation), such relationships may end abruptly, making space for true (divine) connections that can elevate you on your life path.
With Pluto Rx (currently) in Capricorn making a wonderful Sextile to Neptune for a good few months, we will be able to relax a little bit, drawing courage from our inner-strength. Tests of faith will be rigorous yet liberating experiences. Breaking out of falsehood, toxic patterns and bonds will feel as pleasant as a self-care routine. However, with Pluto wrapping up a major transit in Capricorn good for a century or two, there will be an air of illusion which can make shadows seem monstrous before they are fully illuminated. Amidst all the fears, confusions and internal chaos, there are questions that will hit us hard, but will bring us back home to ourselves. “Do the people/situations from the past fulfill your hopes and dreams moving ahead?!? Does the past really matter to you in the present?!? What do you wish to bring along with you to your future and what do you wish to leave behind in the past?!? Are you committed to creating your dream-life abandoning everything/everyone that stand in your way for the good of all, true peace and happiness???”
This Retrograde season, make the most of the realness that the astrological calendar presents to you. Raw truths and painful realizations can tear the safety nets that we may have unconsciously made our comfort zone. “Living on (such an) edge” will not be the best kind of life, since we all carry the innocence & divine light that deserve peace, harmony and true love. May this Neptune Retrograde help us breakout (gently if possible) of our comfort zones to make our dreams a reality instead of just a fantasy that we escape into. 🎐
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