Each astrological archetype represents a unique pathway of development. We could metaphorically say that astrology is a school, and planets are the teachers.
In Neptune’s case, his lesson is to remind us of our boundless nature, through dissolving the false limitations we’ve imposed upon ourselves over the years.
Neptune and Dreams
We can experience Neptune most strongly at the moment between dreaming and waking.
In many dreams, we are a different person with a completely different purpose and a mission. When we wake up and regain our normal identity, we somehow feel refreshed and expanded for a time.
This is because our consciousness is boundless by default, and it doesn’t react very well to being confined in ego’s narrowly defined identity. Dreams (and other Neptunian activities) let us escape our self defined barriers for a time, and allow our consciousness (our real self) to become whole again.
The blissful sense of wholeness that we experienced as a newborn child could be said to be the normal state of consciousness. But the wholeness slipped away from us little by little, each time our ego was defined by boundaries such as gender, race, nationality, religion, and countless judgments we received from others regarding our ability, intellect, attractiveness and lovability.
As a result, our ego is like a thin slice of the vast pie of consciousness; it represents only a fraction of who we really are.
These socially defined boundaries give us a sense of identity necessary for functioning in the world. But so often we acquire false beliefs that don’t serve us, which limit our growth. Neptune can dissolve such unnecessary limitations and increase our resourcefulness in life.
Neptune in Houses
Here are some examples of how Neptune might function during transit to a certain house. Natal house placement of Neptune may also behave similarly:
- Neptune in or transiting 1st or 7th house: The relationships that define our identity might be dissolved. This period can offer inspiring opportunities to redefine and expand our self definition.
- Neptune in or transiting 2nd or 8th house: Our standard for self-valuation might be gradually dissolved and expanded. We may begin to value different things in others as well. The traditional measures of valuation (money and success) may stop functioning altogether, or may be redefined as means to help others.
- Neptune in or transiting 3rd or 9th house: Our mind will learn to expand beyond traditional ideas and beliefs that are common in the culture we’re born in. Some grounding is necessary to keep everything real.
- Neptune in or transiting 4th or 10th house: Our family or career could undergo a process of dissolution. There could be a feeling of uprooting or a “wipe out.” Our sense of belonging and life direction will be dissolved, and then expanded afterward.
- Neptune in or transiting 5th or 11th house: This transit dissolves the boundary of our social circles. Your circle of friends may expand, or dissolved to be completely replaced. This might be a good opportunity to let go of limiting beliefs concerning love and creativity.
- Neptune in or transiting 6th or 12th house: The consciousness might be drawn to explore itself through meditation and other subtle practices, striving to escape the shackles of ego in some way.
Conclusion and Examples
Our identity is fiction, and is based on myriads of opinions placed upon us by others since birth. Much of unnecessary suffering is based on this false sense of self, and Neptune offers a way out through temporary or permanent dissolution of these limiting boundaries.
I have Neptune conjunct Moon and square Ascendant, and had to find a way to experience the vastness of who I felt myself to be, through undoing years of conditioning. Music helped me, and so did meditation or reading fiction. My natal Neptune is in 9th house, and now I live on the other side of the world from my country and feel quite at home. My spiritual search has taken me away from traditional worldview, and I feel alive and grateful because of it.
How does Neptune work in your chart? Feel free to share through emails or comment…
Related posts (automatically generated):
- Transformation of Neptunian Archetype: part 1 – Neptune and Wealth
- Neptune and Pluto in Natal Chart, Transit or Solar Arc
- On Uranus Archetype: Part 1 – Wildness of the Soul
- Working With Saturn: The Servant & Master/Ruler Archetype
- On Uranus Archetype: Part 2 – Significance of Transit or Solar Arc Uranus
About Hiroki Niizato
thank you for finally giving a positive image of Neptune…your article was very conforting to a Pisces like me…( neptune in the third…)
Hi Hiroki
me the Plutonian (from last post) and Neptunian (Sun conj Neptune and Pisces Ascendant) I find that I continually feel as if my ego is dissolved any time I try and toot my own horn. It is as if I will not allow myself to feel as one's sun should proud and full of themselves. I'm assuming its Neptune dissolving those false selves?
sirene: Thank you :)
Lise: In this case it's more empowering to "do what you love" so much so that you'll lose all sense of self-consciousness while doing it.
Hi Hiroki –My Neptune is in Scorpio, conjunct Sun/Mercury/Jupiter in the 2nd/3rd. It closely squares my Aquarius Moon in the 5th, and is sextile and in mutual reception with Pluto in the 12th.
With Pluto (ruler of my Neptune and 3rd house), placed in the 12th, at various times throughout my life I’ve been gifted with dreams of knowing when or how something will happen. I’ve even received “messages”, although I never actually hear a voice. The strongest of these come to me in the early hours of the morning, just before I’m fully awake; until I read your post, I wasn’t aware that this time period was Neptune’s domain. I also “know” things about people I encounter on a daily basis – faces, names or situations will pop in my head, uninvited. I pick up on negative energy as well, and can usually sense danger or tell when someone is putting on a false front; I’m generally pretty adept at getting to the truth in any situation, even if initially I allow my perceptions to be sidetracked by my desire to want to “believe the best” about someone.
I’ve also occasionally had a difficult time distinguishing my feelings and needs from those of the people I love (Neptune squares the Moon). With my mother in particular, I tended to take on her suffering, both emotionally and even physically to some extent; I would often develop similar symptoms before I was even made consciously aware of whatever was going on. Neptune/Jupiter rule my 7th, so I do this with my husband as well; my Neptune is conjunct his Sun and vice versa. I also gladly share my 2nd house resources in order to care for the needs of others.
I always look forward to your new posts Hiroki, so thanks.
Hi LB,
Thank you for sharing your experience with Neptune and dreams, very interesting…
Random notes about Neptune and me:
:)
Neptune in the 5th of children and creativity. I feel having it Quintile Venus has certainly helped me in my days of dancing and creating dances (back "in the day!)
And perhaps to, it helped (having Neptune there in the 5th of kids) as a preschool teacher for many years?!
Oh and it's in Scorpio…each time I got pregnant, that house, Scorpio and aspects to Neptune were involved! Interesting!
Thanks Michele,
Naptune quintile Venus is often artistically oriented, so dancing would be a perfect expression.
hi Hiroki
So very glad I found your blog. This is this first positive explanation of Neptune I've read so far. Thank you for showing positive aspects while someone like me is experiencing the negative aspects of it.
Nept. in 3rd/squaring sun, also conj with both jupiter and mars. It's hitting me hard, the negative aspect.
adding your blog to my favorites. Thanks again.
^^ it's also sparked my long held writing aspirations. The creativity is flowing nicely and I'm working on becoming published. Thank you!
Good for you! Thanks for enjoying :)