Neptune Retrograde in Pisces

 

When most planets turn “retrograde” (or appear to move backward), it’s as though they’re flipping a switch to shake up everything they stand for. Neptune is the dreamy planet that, at its best, makes us see beyond the tangible world and explore spirituality, faith and fantasy. The dark side of Neptune is that its love of illusion can inspire us to escape to alternate realities we’ve created for ourselves -- a.k.a. delusions.

Yes, Neptune can encourage us to live in denial. We all have specific fears and hangups we don’t want to deal with, perhaps you ignore nagging financial issues or tell yourself that your less than satisfying romantic relationship is exactly what you need.

Transiting Neptune retrograde can cause your illusions, dreams and false realities to no longer feel good or realistic. The destruction of your fantasy world will show those harsh realities you sought to avoid at some stage in the past. Maybe you have idealized your relationships, your financial situation or your career prospects as something that is not real or practical.

When Neptune stations retrograde on June 18th we have a lucky Grand Trine aspect pattern with Mercury, Jupiter and Neptune. This gives us a balanced and harmonious blend of the planetary energies. Grand trines are very fortunate, in this case it will help amplify ( Jupiter ) our mental abilities, thoughts and insights ( Mercury ) with our dreams and aspirations ( Neptune ). However, without some desire and effort the potentials may never be realized. 

This a great time for working on anything involving harmony, like poetry, music and dance. All of your communication skills benefit from a non threatening, caring and soft influence. You can follow your dreams for success without needing to sacrifice your ego or material possessions. Research, study and socializing are favored, and this is one of the best transits for making plans because of your good instincts, future-oriented and positive thinking. 

Chances are, Neptune is behind any excuses you invent to support these ideas. But when Neptune goes backward, it can feel like we’ve had a bucket of cold water splashed on our faces. Because Neptune’s dreamy edge usually allows us to gloss over unpleasant truths (like credit card balances or red flags in our relationships), its move backward gives us the opposite: A harsh wake-up call.