You might notice your self-fulfilling prophecies have been coming to life lately. Over the past three months, Neptune—the planet of spirituality, imagination, dreams, and illusion—has given us a taste of what the next 13 years will look like. While in Aries, Neptune adds a competitive edge to the planet’s esoteric energy. There is something in the air telling us to fight for self-discovery, to believe in our intuition, and dissolve past versions of ourselves that can no longer thrive in the present moment. In practice, this looks like a lot of deep introspection, and a belief that we each, individually, have all the answers to divine questions. In a sense, it is a bit of an ego trip while also being an ego death—but from July 4 to December 10, Neptune stations retrograde, which will let us see clearly how the past few months will impact us on a larger scale.
Neptune is one of the planets that I prefer when it is stationing retrograde. That may seem odd, but Neptune can often add a hazy confusion to life, especially because retrogrades often invert the natural energy of a planet. This particular retrograde gives us a double dose of energy, because from July 4 to October 22, Neptune will be in Aries, before dipping back into Pisces for the remainder of the retrograde.
Reflecting on who you are and how you assert Neptunian themes (spirituality, dreams, illusions, escapism), is key for the next few months. How has your understanding of spirituality developed? What dreams have you felt motivated to pursue? What fears have you made attempts to overcome? Have you noticed at all your desire to find divine guidance from within yourself, as opposed to an external source? Sit with yourself and ask “how has my life started to change since Neptune moved into Aries on March 30?”
When Neptune dips back into Pisces for the last two months of its retrograde, you can expect to wrap up letting go of anything that you’re still holding onto from the past decade that could be getting in the way of your new growth. This means letting go of fears while embracing intuition and creative healing. Often with Neptune, you have to give something up in order to let something come in.
The next few months will be filled with a ha moments. You’ll have more clarity when looking in the mirror and understanding the person looking back at you. There may be moments when you understand better how you’ve been the master of your own undoing by letting yourself believe a false narrative or illusion. Ultimately, the truth is revealing itself. Your truth is revealing itself. So listen to the universe right now, and be willing to question things even if it bruises your ego for a bit.
For a deeper look at how this long retrograde is going to impact you, read for your rising sign! Neptune retrograde is a blessing and a curse—the blessing being that the rose-colored glasses are off, and the curse being that our reality is often what we hoped it would be. The good news is that you’ll be able to balance your idealism with your realism moving forward.
Aries
The past few months have been a bit topsy-turvy for you, but you should start to experience more clarity on your current situation. As you are dissolving an outdated version of yourself, Neptune retrograde will help you understand which parts stay and which can go. It’s a period of ego death to allow you to have a broader, more imaginative sense of self. However, your confusion about who you are could trickle into your relationships, since you aren’t 100 percent sure how to express that right now. Dream bigger about who you are, and let yourself release any fears about asserting your authentic self.
Taurus
You can expect plenty of wake-up calls and revelations about who you are and where you are going. The past few months have been hazy, sucking you into your own fantasy world to force you to understand the you that sits deep beneath your solid exterior. You may feel like you’ve been swimming upstream like a salmon all by your lonesome, but the flow of the stream is calming down to give you a chance to see how far you’ve gone. Pay attention to your dreams and be willing to address fears that may lead to escapism. You could find that you have to let go of social groups or aspirations that no longer serve you so you can fully embrace this new journey coming your way.
Gemini
Your dream world and utopian ideals may come into question. You’ve probably been feeling uneasy about what you believe in and how that aligns with your community—so the next few months should make it more apparent what is true and what is a fantasy. Start questioning your role in society, and deprioritize relationships that don’t see you as someone who can fit that role. This is a great time to get into community service to give you a sense of purpose. Even reflecting on your dream job and why you have tried to achieve certain goals will help answer questions about where you wish to go from here. Ultimately, you’ll get one step closer to finding deeper purpose and meaning in your long-term efforts.
Cancer
You’ve been questioning your beliefs and your perspective on the world. You probably have felt at times over the past few months that you’re overwhelmed by the sheer volume of questions you have about what your worldview is. Now, you have an opportunity to find meaning in your work—while questioning how it aligns with what your beliefs. Challenging yourself to reflect on how you’ve been diluting your understanding of what you’re capable of will help you answer questions about yourself. Face the reality of what your reputation is, and be willing to let go of outdated belief systems and professional goals you once had.
Leo
As you’ve been figuring out your personal manifesto, you’ve probably felt like there are moments of questioning whether what you put out into the world is really what you believe. Thankfully, this Neptune retrograde gives a moment for you to reflect on the bigger picture of what you wish to give to the world. You’ll have to dig deep and rely on honesty, even if it makes you or your relationships uncomfortable. Perhaps the wool has been pulled over your eyes, or you’re the one doing the pulling! Question yourself and those around you—and make sure that if you do put something into the world, it is done with intention and honesty so you can build more intimate relationships with yourself and others.
Virgo
What you’ve been hiding is going to start coming to the surface! Secrets will pour out and everything you’ve held close to your chest will feel like it needs to be released to the universe. You may have felt that you are lacking trust in others, and it’s difficult to build more trust because you have been prioritizing a deeper understanding of yourself. Honesty is the best policy. Letting go of control is going to be important over the next few months. You can’t control others, but you can control how you react to others. So lead by example, and even if you don’t have all the answers, trust your heart to guide you through the right path.
Libra
Your relationships are getting a wake-up call! Although you’ve had the opportunity to meet and build inspirational connections over the past few months, you might find that the honeymoon phase is ending. This doesn’t mean that those relationships are going away, but you are seeing them more authentically for everything they have to offer. Who do you actually enjoy being around? Who do you allow to occupy your space? Is their attempt to work and collaborate with you genuine or are they just playing nice? These questions will be important reflections to find the answers you’re looking for.
Scorpio
Your toxic patterns forcing you to look right at them, like a brightly lit neon sign. You may realize you’ve been living in your own fantasy world, not understanding the consequences of your actions and how they build up over time. Letting go of anything that feels like a red flag to your routine is going to be imperative, but it may bruise your ego or feel like you’re giving up one of your indulgences. Everything is good in moderation, but you need to be real with yourself about what is actually important. Find the confidence to make change and reflect on how the little things can build into a big mess if you’re not careful.
Sagittarius
A clearer vision of how you want to share your gifts with the world is coming through. You may have moments of feeling like you’re not sure exactly what you love or how you should express yourself over the next few months, but that means it’s the perfect time to ask yourself whether you’re being authentic. Now is a great time to reconnect with your roots and creative projects that are deeply personal to how you see yourself. Neptune retrograde is going to snap some sense into you and make sure that, when you share your light, you’re doing it for the right reasons and not for the sake of getting attention.
Capricorn
Tensions at home are becoming less hazy, and your ability to address them feels like less of a confusing task. Your mind is becoming less foggy, too—so your ability to articulate what you are feeling with those whom you hold closest to your heart will become less scary at the same time. Right now, you should challenge yourself to let go of childish habits or experiences that may keep you in a state of anxiety. Communication errors are going to happen from time to time, so make sure you ask meaningful questions and avoid making assumptions as much as you can over the next few months.
Aquarius
How has your own mind been weaponized against you recently? Do you let yourself sit in maladaptive thoughts and self-judgment? Well, with Neptune retrograde, you’ll feel a lot less confused and a lot more aware—but you’ll need to refine your approach to processing information. Some call this rewiring the mind, others refer to it as positive affirmations, but ultimately you need to check yourself so you don’t fall down troubling rabbit holes. Let go of the need to focus on anything that worries and confuses you and focus on investing mental energy into what you value. This will be the key for finding the magic in your mind!
Pisces
The veil is lifting on who you are and what you value. You may still be holding onto a past version of yourself that people-pleases and puts the needs of others first. What are you holding that was pushed onto you because of someone else? Ultimately, you are realizing the truth of who you are and what matters the most to you, and you need to push against escapism and stand firmly in your truth. Don’t let your idyllic nature ignore the truth; right now, you need to ask yourself if you are investing your personal resources into something because it aligns with who you are and what you value, or because someone else’s dream requires it of you.
