Key to the Subconscious Mind
Neptune indicates the manner in which the individual’s imagination and aesthetic and intuitive faculties work. Neptune rules the picture-making faculties of the mind If strongly featured, indicates a highly developed imagination with the capacity to pluck inspiration out of the air.
Neptune Positions
Neptune, the planet of deception and spiritual enlightenment, rules the oppressed and abandoned: the misfits of society. On a higher level he rules visionaries, and those who are glamorous and charismatic. Neptune represents spirituality, mysticism, and ideals. Speaking personally, Neptune’s house position and aspects with other planets in your chart will describe spirituality, abstract thinking, illusion, disillusionment, and areas of your life where things aren’t always what they seem. Neptune rules derangement, guilt, persecution and describes the potential for experiences related to confinement, abandonment, and addiction or physical intolerance to drugs and alcohol. In mythology, Neptune was a son of Saturn and brother to Jupiter and Pluto. Known as Poseidon (“tamer of horses and saviour of ships”) to the ancient Greeks, he was Lord of the Sea and the god of horses. After the overthrow of Saturn, Jupiter became god of the heavens, Neptune god of the sea and Pluto god of the underworld. Despite his undeniable mythological credentials, some modern astrologers hold that the astrological influence of Neptune is feminine, presumably as he is often presented as an octave of Venus.
Neptune’s role in society is often to cloud the issues, making things seem other than they are. Neptune is the master of disguise. Ruling oil, liquids, solvents (and makeup!), this mighty force usually operates beneath the surface, but can be brought into the forefront of consciousness when affected by significant transits from the visible planets – as it has been recently in the oil crisis and the floods, hurricanes and storms that have so grievously affected certain parts of the world. Neptune, one of the outer, trans-personal planets, spends about thirteen years in each sign, taking around 164 years to move through all twelve signs. Since 164 years separate people born during its transit of one sign and those born when it returns, Neptune’s significance in any sign is described as generational or historical.
Neptune in Aries
Your imagination can be fired with energy and urgency, creating an impressive person. You may be a religious person who seeks to convert others, making peace not war, but really war, in a religious way. You inspirational (fire) and active (active sign). And you are not afraid to start things which are fired with your imagination. In a negative way, you may be deceived in matters which you find exciting and passionate. However, you have the potential to dissolve barriers related to the self and achieve beyond the normal.
Neptune in Taurus
When you dream, you dream in a refined manner about possessions, perhaps clothes in particular, but also perhaps food. You are not easy to get going (passive), but once you are, you may find it difficult to stop dreaming (fixed sign) about matters such as romance. When it comes to personal property, you might find it hard to be clear about what you want. Nonetheless, you are practical (earth) in your fantasy life and about what you dream. You have the ability to overcome obstacles related to personal finances and achieve more beyond the normal boundaries.
Neptune in Gemini
You tend to refine matters in a versatile and variable way, particularly in areas concerning communication, education, child care, etc. You may idealise education and communication, and you may dream of being an expert communicator or teacher. You may also tend to be deceived in these areas, because you are so impassioned by your ideals and by your dreams. You are likely to get on well with people because you believe in the basic good nature of others. In areas of thinking and communication, you can achieve beyond the normal boundaries.
Neptune in Cancer
You refine in an instinctive and protective way matters to do with the home, or base, in its widest sense. Your imagination and dreams relate to the home, your group, your country, or even matters related to the development of yourself and your life. You may be caring about your roots and family. Your origins may be matters that fire your imagination. Overall, you are likely to be emotional about these matters and be protective over them. You are also likely to be deluded by some of these beliefs, if you do not keep control of your emotions. You can potentially break down and dissolve unwanted early experiences, family traditions and ethnic origins and attain more than would normally be expected (Neptune, water). You may be able to do this because of your powerful imagination (water, Neptune) where you can create new experiences.
Neptune in Leo
You may be able to create impressive and creative worlds of an imaginary nature, for instance impressive fashion, film, theatre, entertainment in general and amusement. You may be almost a hypnotic influence, causing others to disappear in your dreams and imagination. You are inspirational (fire) in a magical way. And you are a loyal friend, perhaps even believing in universal love.
Neptune in Virgo
You tend to be idealistic about matters concerning work, health and nutrition. You may have an idealistic view of serving your fellow humans, and be very sensitive to their problems in these areas. You may be so idealistic that you fail to see the reality in the noble worker, the noble healer and the wonderful effects of good nutrition. You are versatile and adaptable in relation to these areas and you tend to be critical of those who do not hold your views (but not directly to them). There are difficulties between being idealistic and imagination and being a detail person (Neptune detriment). You may sometimes concentrate on isolated details and make them seem very profound out of context. You can dissolve problems related to being too critical and to being too obsessive about details, and be successful in this area.
Neptune in Libra
You tend to be diplomatic and harmonious in a refined way in relation to others. You may dream about matters related to fashion, music and peace. You may believe in universal love between humans (Neptune). You may have notions about freedom and justice (Libra) and equality. You may be involved in forming (cardinal) new idealised relationships between others. Some people in this group take comfort (Venus) in drink or drugs (Pisces). By dissolving issues related to interpersonal problems, you can achieve amazing results.
Neptune in Scorpio
You and people of this age, tend to dream about matters of a secret and profoundly deep nature in an intense and passionate way. You may be interested in a strong way in matters to do with mysticism, hypnosis and sex. You may wish to get involved in religious or cultish organisations and share your deep held beliefs or searching for profound secrets, such as those related to life and death. You may be interested in matters related to spirits, UFOs, vampires, and other uncertain and vague phenomenon. You should avoid a tendency to believe in things just because they are mystic and profound. You may experience conflict between one part of you that is intensely selfish (or possessive of others) and another than is self-sacrificing. You may be able to refine this differences by dissolving the deep hidden issues into universal oneness.
Neptune in Sagittarius
You refine knowledge and philosophy (discussion and belief) in a free and tolerant manner. It may be you distil the essence of knowledge so it is mystical and uncertain. There may be a tendency to believe in a free manner, without using the critical facilities. You are very sensitive to matters related to freedom, especially in foreign lands and with foreign people. You are very tolerant, but this may be because you fail to see certain details and become entranced by your noble dreams of a better world. Yet, you do have a powerful ability to overcome these problems, and achieve a powerful solution.
Neptune in Capricorn
You refine, in a prudent and reserved manner, matters related to power, control, success and fame. You dream about becoming powerful and rich. You may, however, be somewhat confused about the process of succeeding, perhaps neglecting the work and details. People in this group take an interest in the glamour business or the helping professions. If you are taken up by your imagination, it is likely that you manage to put even crazy ideas to a practical and profitable use, making money out of them in the process.
Neptune in Aquarius
You tend to dream, dreams of freedom and independence, unconventional dreams (Aquarius), but you are not deterred. You can be idealistic about anyone who tries to reduce freedom and independence, and even rebellious towards the. You are fiercely loyal to your beliefs and to your friends (fixed). You can appear somewhat eccentric to the other generations, and you may acquire associates who are cranky and artistic, perhaps musicians. You are sensitive and idealist and sufficiently passionate (fire) to carry implement your ideals and aspirations.You may do this by breaking down conventions and overcoming barriers in an unusual way and with unexpected results.
Neptune in Pisces
You refine matters to do with religion, service and self-lessness in an impressionable and inspirational manner. You wish to serve, not just in a physical way, but in a spiritual way, your fellow humans and to transcend the barriers to forming one nation of humans. There can be a saintly, self-sacrificing attitude. In your search for religious ecstasy, you should guard against being deceived by drugs and alcohol. You can refine these damaging tendencies and turn them into means of helping others and into ways of transcendence.
Neptune in Houses
Neptune in 1st House
You might express yourself artistically, and come across as gentle, sensitive, and dreamy, especially if Neptune is close to the Ascendant (within 10 degrees). You are extremely sensitive to your environment. Others tend to see whatever they want to see in you, and you thus can come across very differently to different people. You might tend to encourage this, even without knowing. Your appearance and mannerisms tend to be chameleon-like. You are a peace-loving person. While you don’t come on strong, you can be subtly alluring and intriguing. Others can be drawn to you and feel that you understand them. You can be moody and your first reaction to problems might be to escape or to feel sorry for yourself, or helpless. You may not feel a strong sense of identity and struggle with your own impressionability. Like a sponge, you absorb the moods of others. Your imagination is powerful. You have an easygoing manner – a “what will be, will be” approach to the world.
Neptune in 2nd House
You may prefer not to attach too much value to money, but if this is overdone, there can be quite a few problems in life concerning money and ownership. You might make money through artistic pursuits, but must avoid the potential pitfalls of putting too much faith in ideas that don’t have enough grounding in reality. Financial advice is important to obtain. You may have developed a non-materialistic personal philosophy. This might work well for you, but it could also lead to impractical attitudes and money problems. When it comes to making money, you tend to act on hunches and intuition. You might have faith that you will come into money one day, or daydream a lot about being wealthy. The trick is to have faith in your own self-worth. If you frequently have money problems, you might want to examine whether you truly are not attached to material things, or if it stems from undervaluing your own worth or value. When Neptune is in good condition in the second house, there can be a sense that you are wealthy no matter what you actually have, and this faith can bring you exactly what you need. If Neptune is challenged, you may be glossing over practical details and money can too easily slip through your fingers. You might be especially generous, but avoid situations where you get the short end of the stick financially speaking if they lead to feelings of resentment.
Neptune in 3rd House
Dry, cold facts are hard for you to absorb, so traditional academics might not appeal. However, you are talented at visualization and whole-style learning. You are perceptive and dreamy, although you often have your head in the clouds and might miss important details. Sticking to schedules can be difficult, and so can tending to errands, communications, and other necessary daily activities. You might “tune out” when you hear specific directions, and consequently miss helpful details. You might as a result frequently be late for appointments or miss them altogether. In your communications, you can quickly put others at ease, as you seem to intuitively understand them. You express yourself creatively, imaginatively, and with great charm. However, you might also encourage, without even knowing it, misunderstandings, as you rarely are definite in what you say. Learning, especially when young, can be challenged only because you might lack discipline or the style of learning is not creative enough to hold your interest.
Neptune in 4th House
Your childhood was likely complex, likely due to an especially sensitive, absent, preoccupied, or confusing parental figure. Early home life may have been chaotic in some manner, and you might have failed to achieve a strong sense of identity and groundedness as a result. You might long for a stronger sense of home, family, or mothering and nurturing in your life. This might lead you to create an extended family of sorts that includes non-family and helps you to feel loved and nurtured. Or, you might be a mothering figure yourself, giving of yourself quite freely, and perhaps hoping to receive unconditional love and nurturing in return. If you feel that you often become a “doormat”, then it will be important to set some limits. Alternatively, you might have frequent needs to escape into solitude in order to replenish your spirit. You might isolate yourself from others needlessly or avoid obligations because they overwhelm you. Seeing your family and your childhood in a realistic light may be challenging for you, as you have many dreams and inflated expectations from home and family which can interfere with your perceptions. You might swing from over-idealizing them to impressions that they are far more difficult than they actually are, and in both cases you are going to extremes. Strive to see family clearly.
Neptune in 5th House
You are an imaginative and creative person with a strong sense of drama. You are inspired by art and feel compelled to express yourself in a fantastic or dramatic manner. You could be an excellent actor. You might also be an especially creative teacher or caregiver, perhaps drawn to helping children with special needs. You have an exceptionally strong need to be appreciated, particularly on romantic and creative levels. Your love life involves a lot of fantasy, and often your deep need for drama can lead you to see things that you want to see. Your romantic perceptions may not be accurate as a result. You might attract unusual, chaotic, or secretive circumstances in your love life if you are not spiritually content. You might be attracted to lovers who you feel need to be saved somehow, but you could end up with people who are confused, distant, non-committal, or dependent. Keeping a high level of drama in your love life is important to you, but it can also be exhausting over time. Finding a balance will be vital — keep your ideals, but try to avoid expecting far too much from ordinary people.
Neptune in 6th House
With Neptune in the sixth house, you may easily gloss over the details of managing day-to-day affairs. Perhaps you have adopted a personal philosophy that life means more than just sticking to routines, making lists, and organizing bills to pay. However, avoiding or ignoring these basic responsibilities can lead to much confusion and chaos, as well as guilt. You might give in to co-workers too easily, or not take credit for your own hard work. You might have inflated ideals regarding being helpful to others. You want to help others unconditionally, but if you don’t draw some lines and boundaries, you could feel put upon. Or, you could feel helpless when it comes to managing your daily affairs or work, and often depend on others to save you from these tasks. On the level of health, you might have mysterious health complaints that are hard to diagnose, sensitivity to drugs, or allergies. These might be related to the aforementioned guilt. You might have a strong interest in alternative health methods. Some of you might be especially compassionate with animals and pets.
Neptune in 7th House
You are inclined to give more to a partnership (including marriage) than you take. There may be a tendency to wear rose-colored glasses when it comes to the selection of a partner, in an attempt to find a soulmate. The need for a strong psychic or intuitive link with a partner is so strong that your perceptions in partnership are not accurate. You need to take a step back, consciously attempting to see your partners and relationships for what they are, rather than what you wish them to be. You might be attracted to relationships in which you feel a partner needs to be saved somehow, or in which a partner saves you. However, you might end up with people who only serve to confuse you, who are noncommittal or unavailable, or who are overly dependent. You tend to idealize a partner, assigning them traits that you want them to have, or even seeing them as worse than they are because of your inflated and dramatic expectations. You need to develop discipline and discrimination when it comes to setting limits, selecting partners, and keeping communication clear in a relationship. In some cases, people with this position give up their power to partners and become dependent upon them. You are likely a creative negotiator and you can be especially accommodating with others. Positively, you are very talented at bringing out the good in another person, particularly a partner, if that person is appreciative of your efforts and is willing to grow.
Neptune in 8th House
There is a spiritual longing with this position. You might often experience deja vus or other psychic phenomena. You pay attention to dreams and you might enjoy analyzing them. Sexual fantasies or role-playing can be strong themes in your life. You might yearn for a spiritual form of ecstasy on a sexual level–a soul connection. You might feel that your needs on this level are always just out of reach. You might be a giver in bed, and perhaps feel that you give more than you get. Alternatively, you could be in the completely opposite position in which you seek partners who are exceptionally giving on a sexual level. Either way, there is an imbalance and you could be left wanting. With this position, it can be especially important to be discriminating when it comes to selecting sexual partners if Neptune is challenged. You may not see your partner clearly because of a deep need for extraordinary or fantastical experiences. There may be times when you give more than you take with money. If a more aggressive personality seems to want something more, you will cut them a better deal. Your shared finances may be chaotic in some way. You may be taken advantage of on a monetary level in partnership, or you might keep poor financial records and end up paying or owing more as a result. There can be a blurring of boundaries when it comes to finances and partnership, whether that means you allow a partner to control your own finances or you adopt a “what’s mine is yours” philosophy without following up on or enforcing the “what’s yours is mine” part. In this way, you may leave yourself open to deception or even fraud. Over the years, you will likely learn to take more responsibility for your finances and learn to be less timid about taking ownership of what is rightfully yours. You can be a bit sloppy with accounting. You may have problems collecting inheritance and could encounter difficulties on a financial level through the marital partner. You are very creative and imaginative sexually, and you understand and accept a wide range of styles and preferences on a sexual level.
Neptune in 9th House
You believe that anything is possible and have extraordinary faith in the universe. This faith can bring about positive circumstances, but if taken too far, might lead to wastefulness and laziness. You may depend too much on being saved “one day” and avoid some practical responsibilities in the meantime. You might make lofty plans that don’t get off the ground, or that fail to materialize, because you have neglected important, practical details. The faith you have can certainly carry you far if you keep your feet on the ground and recognize that you are in the driver’s seat when it comes to steering your life in a particular direction. Your spiritual beliefs are well-developed. You are very open to unusual or avant-garde concepts, and you are especially attracted to anything exotic. You may, however, be a bit blinded in your faith, as you don’t always take the time to think about why you believe in what you do. Some with this position might be easily led astray by concepts, religions, or cults that do not serve them well. There may be some confusion or chaos when it comes to getting a higher education. You will need quite a bit of discipline in order to complete your studies if you are seeking a degree. You could be excellent at promotion and marketing, coming up with very creative methods of persuasion. You might also be a creative and compassionate teacher. Strive to keep your larger plans and goals realistic, while maintaining your ideals.
Neptune in 10th House
You have exceptionally strong intuition when it comes to current trends, business, and what the public wants, and you are likely to bring much creativity, vision, and artistic sense to your career. This position is good for a career in the arts, with the media, in the helping professions, and involving charity work. If challenged, Neptune here can point to drifting without a clear direction or a lack of clearly defined goals. You may find it hard to find a “calling” in life, perhaps because of fears that a particular profession will be less than ideal, or due to fear of your being less than perfect. You might want to examine whether your expectations are inflated or unrealistic. Some of you might fear taking responsibility for your lives or for others’ lives. You may have received confusing or chaotic messages in your childhood or from a particular parent, and subsequently find it hard to take a definite direction or path in life, or fear taking responsibility. In your career, you may not always get due recognition, which can also stem from a problem with assigning yourself worth. Others might take credit for your work, or you could have problems being recognized and rewarded by your superiors until you truly believe in yourself and your abilities and talents. You may not project yourself clearly and you should be cautious about your reputation. While you often prefer anonymity, try not to encourage others’ misperceptions about you.
Neptune in 11th House
You have very accepting, humanitarian, and idealistic views. You are especially idealistic about friendships, always adapting and displaying much flexibility with people, but hopefully not to the point of being taken advantage of. Some with this position are so accommodating and non-discriminating in their choice of friends that they leave themselves open to being deceived or used. You may find it very challenging to draw up boundaries when it comes to how much of yourself you give up in order to keep the peace in friendships. You might also find it hard to get in touch with your deepest wishes and hopes, and what it is that will make you happy. You might frequently feel unsatisfied as you reach a goal, wanting something more. You might also yearn for a feeling of true camaraderie and spiritual connection with friends or through group associations, but because your ideals may be too high or unrealistic, you often feel dissatisfied or let down. You are likely to attract, or be attracted to, artistic, sensitive, or unusual and even off-center friends into your life. You have much sympathy and compassion for the underdog or the downtrodden. You need to be careful not to give so much of yourself that you end up feeling used. Strive also to be clear with others in order to avoid confusing or chaotic situations.
Neptune in 12th House
You possess exceptional intuition and you are able to draw upon tremendous inner strength and faith when in a pinch, which might surprise others because of your easygoing and possibly even timid manner. You may be exceptionally sensitive but not always able to express your compassion and concern in direct ways, which can give rise to feelings of guilt. If you deny the spiritual side of your nature, you run the risk of chronic discontent, and you may feel very vulnerable to normal changes in life, fearing that you may not be able to handle them. In truth, your faith runs deep and surfaces when you need it most, so this fear is actually ungrounded. You need to learn to believe in yourself, or you might resort to escapist behavior and avoid problems when they do crop up. Some with this position only discover their deep spiritual inclinations later in life, or they are aware of them but have troubles expressing them until they have built a stronger identity.
Neptune Aspects
Neptune/Sun
Both the harmonious and stressful aspects tend to increase the imagination. The stressful aspects tend to bring out the more negative side of Neptune. If you have that, then you have to be careful of substance abuse. You also have to be very careful of having your sympathies played upon because you are a sucker for a hard luck story. The men in your life are inclined to be irresponsible. Watch out for the “Savior-Savee” syndrome. You know. Either you are always trying to “save” people, or you get yourself into situations where they have to “save” you — again and again and again. Any aspect between these two means that it will be good for you to do some sort of charitable activity to keep the Neptune happy.
Neptune/Moon
The Moon shows our emotions and emotional needs. When it is aspected by Neptune, the need is for imagination and escape. Excessive day-dreaming is a danger, but this can also be a very creative trait. Stay away from any job that doesn’t utilize your imagination. If you can’t, then at least take frequent breaks. The harmonious aspects mean that people always seem be doing things for you. As with all so-called “harmonious” aspects, be careful that you don’t overdo it and blow your luck. In this case, you could become a leech who can’t do anything for themselves. The stressful aspects tend to attract spacey women into your life, starting with the mother. who could have been so involved with her own fantasies that she forgot to take care of you. Be careful about attracting women “friends” who always seem to drain you emotionally with their never-ending “problems”, most of which are self-caused. And PLEASE, whatever you do, don’t think that you can “save” these people by falling in love with them.
Neptune/Mercury
Gives a really good imagination, with both the stressful and harmonious aspects. The stressful aspects, however, do funny things to the memory, such as making it possible to remember things that one normally can’t remember, but forgetting things that are normally not forgotten (such as things right under your nose).
Neptune/Venus
Increases the artistic sensibilities. Both the harmonious and stressful aspects have a tendency to see what they want to see in the romantic area. The stressful aspects especially, have to be careful of falling in love with a different “I’m-sure-this-one-is-my-soul-mate” every other week. Since no one can possibly live up to the perfect ideal that these folks have of what love should be like, people with Venus aspecting Neptune frequently masturbate a lot.
Neptune/Mars
Can increase “charisma”. Napoleon had the conjunction. So does Bill Clinton. People will obey you without knowing exactly why. The square and the opposition can cause you to start off in one direction and wind up in another. Like an ocean tide, Neptune will pull you where IT wants to take you.
Neptune/Jupiter
Jupiter is cheerful and expands whatever it touches. Neptune is dreamy, idealistic, and other-worldly. The harmonious aspect tends to make you idealistic, and the things you imagine seem to have practical application more often than not. The stressful aspects increase the chance that you will be just plain gullible. Remember, things are real when they exist, and not just because you imagine them. Take a course in logic.
Neptune/Saturn
Saturn tends to pessimism and contracts whatever it touches. Neptune rules illusions and delusions. I call this one the “Woody Allen Aspect.” Like those characters in Woody’s movies, Saturn/Neptune people tend to expect the worst. If you have a stressful aspect (conjunction, square, or opposition) between these two, I am happy to report that at least 90% of the things you worry about will never come to pass. And much of the remaining 10% is blown out of proportion. On the positive side, Saturn/Neptune contacts increase the ability to take dreams (Neptune) and work on them until they become reality (Saturn).
Neptune/Uranus
Any aspect between these two will stay around for a few years and can affect a whole generation. Neptune rules the ideals, dreams, and illusions of the entire generation into which we are born. When there is any aspect with Uranus, planet of “I’m going to change everything”, well, that’s not going to be a conservative generation. Uranus wants freedom and independence, and those ideals will tend to be strong, for better or worse.
Neptune/Ascendant
The conjunction gives you a dreamy and spacey look. Even if you aren’t a Pisces Sun-Sign, you probably get mistaken for one. You are constantly starting off in one direction and winding up in another. Alcohol and you don’t agree, so stay away. This goes double for drugs. Neptune people are always trying to escape from the mundane. Do it with your imagination instead.
Neptune/Midheaven
Can cause the career to take strange twists and turns. You can start out in one direction and wind up in another one entirely. Neptune careers are (1) anything dealing with film or the film industry, or other arts, particularly dance and music (2) anything where you take care of the poor, the sick, or those generally unfortunate, such as medicine or social work (3) anything concerning the sea, which includes careers ranging from oceanography or marine biology to commercial fisherman, or (4) confusion, not knowing what career to take, or getting into something that is far beneath one’s capabilities. The parents will tend to be, on the positive side, idealistic or artistic, or, negatively, irresponsible or substance abusers.
Share this page
