The entry of Neptune into Pisces here in March 2011 is an amazing event…
The first time it has happened since Neptune’s discovery in 1846 and subsequent entry in Pisces in 1848, which was a year of social revolution all around the world. Neptune in Aquarius, the sign it entered back in 1998, brought the vast virtual world of the internet to people worldwide, ending with the phenomenon of social networking and Facebook “friends”. This was the period when virtually everyone bought a mobile phone, even in so-called undeveloped countries, and united across time and space.
Neptune in Pisces is having none of this technological euphoria. The world may be a magic place, but there will be a growing awareness of suffering. People are the same, right?
So why does 1% of the US population control nearly 50% of the nation’s wealth? Why, in the Arabic world, is the voice of democracy not heard? These are not political questions; with Neptune in Pisces they come from the heart of all those people who can suddenly talk together on their mobile phones, Twitter, Facebook and everything else. The dissatisfaction witnessed in the Middle East here in 2011 is just the very beginning of a massive redistribution of wealth, which will be complete by the mid 2020’s, and if it is not, the entry of Pluto into Aquarius at this time will ensure it is subsequently done by any means available.
On a personal level transits from Neptune in Pisces brings a softer compassionate touch. But they will surely also bring confusion and a more poignant awareness of the transience of life. Neptune in Aquarius brought the opportunity to lose oneself in brilliant science fiction adventures like James Cameron’s “Avatar”. Neptune in Pisces will bring uncompromising social realism, and perception will be that society is sick. The way out of the dilemmas Neptune in Pisces brings, will be through compassion, generosity, philanthropy and spiritual awareness.
The following descriptions show the generic effects of Neptune over the four angles with a following commentary on how the specific Neptune-in-Pisces
Neptune over the Ascendant : Spiritual directions
This is a major transition period for you, both in the direction your life is taking and in your lifestyle, and the relationships connected with this lifestyle. The big question that presses upon you now is where are you going, and why? Because if life is not meaningful for you – and there are indications that you are very dissatisfied – then you will not find the motivation to plug on. Materialism, career success, partnership, family… none of these things will give you everything you need. Something is missing, and that missing ingredient is very difficult to define. Like the difference between a fine wine and plonk. This period of dissatisfaction and longing leads you to search within to find inner meaning and significance. This can lead to musical, cultural or artistic interests, or an interest in spirituality, caring and healing. Outwardly many areas if your life – like job and relationships – can go through a period of dissolution as you reject material solutions and listen to your inner voice. Inwardly you ultimately discover spiritual and emotional riches, which were the missing motivational ingredient. The suffering is worth it.
When you have Pisces rising, Neptune feels like it is coming home, so for you there can be a dawning of great insight… an insight that is denied to many other people. Your natural urge to empathize will be accentuated, and from being a misunderstood outsider, you may get recognition for your ideals, dreams and visions. But this is a disorientating period nonetheless, and a profound discontent about the direction your life is going will lead to non-material choices where Nature, creativity and spirituality are the abiding values.
Neptune over the Descendant: Relationship disillusion
This period is a time of transition and change in relationships. If you have founded your own security structures on other people, you can expect these structures to dissolve. Experience will show that you actually cannot control what others do in your life, so you may as well give up trying. An attitude of acceptance and surrender will get you furthest now. Close partners may find themselves in unhappy circumstances, in which case it is more important for you to give them space than to come with solutions. Partnerships can succeed only if you are united around a higher purpose – perhaps a spiritual purpose. Love based on romantic notions or with any kind of narcissistic element will be exposed as illusory, and you will be let down. This period of dissolution or powerlessness in connection with relationships can ultimately lead to richer and more rewarding emotional bonds. You are likely to encounter creative media types or spiritual people now, who give your life new meaning.
If you have Pisces on the Descendant, you are used to organizing apparently disorganized people, but this character trait will be made redundant by partners who insist on their right to be chaotic and go for their dreams. This may be a lesson to you to let go of the details and see the bigger picture. All attachments dissolve, always. The partner lives within you and is a product of your dreams. A spiritual opportunity comes your way now, both through your partner, and through inspiring people who can baptize you into a new world of music, myth and magic.
Neptune over the Midheaven: Career dissolution
This is a period when there are profound changes in your goals and ambitions leading to a major career shift. You probably sense this already in that it is difficult for you to find the motivation to continue with old work patterns which have no higher meaning for you. The question to ask is: can I continue to do what I am doing for years to come, and will I be satisfied with that choice on my death bed? If the answer is no, then you must listen to the inner voice that demands that you use your life on something more satisfying and meaningful. Even if there is a temporary dissolution of your security – if you have to take time off, or be unemployed for a while – it is worth developing talents that are unique to you and seeing if they can lead anywhere professionally. People and the environment, or creative expression, become more important than recognition and so-called success. This period of career dissolution may lead to you find just that niche that will fulfill you in the future. To some extent there may also be career developments that are beyond your control, but if they result in you not continuing with your line of work, there is a deeper meaning behind these changes… to work with what you love.
With Pisces on your Midheaven, true satisfaction in your career can only come when you follow your dreams. Your agenda is not status or raw ambition… you want to make a difference to quality of life through your work. Now is the time to drop out of the rat race and start nurturing the values you really believe in as far as profession is concerned. If you are creative, this might be the path to follow. If your heart goes out to those who suffer, then it may be social work. Sticking at what you do not like will only put you on the slippery slope to failure, so believe in your dreams.
Neptune over the IC: Dissolution in the environment
This is a time when unusual developments in your domestic situation dissolve the foundations on which you have built family life. Your normally sense of security slips through your fingers; the water seeps through the dyke, the sea undermines the cliff. This is the time to learn that the outer frameworks of domestic life are subject to the depredations of time, as is everything else. There is just one place that can never dissolve, and that is the home deep within your heart. By building up your connection to your inner self, you create the foundation stone for all future growth. This period of domestic dissolution leads to a sense of homelessness or rootlessness, not just in connection with your family, but also in your career. You need to work and live in an environment that will be meaningful to you far into the future, so the wise move now is to let go of situations that you are tired of. Unhappy or vulnerable people can come to stay, evoking a deeper compassion within. Property now is subject to insoluble problems, for example connected with damp or swindle.
With Pisces on your IC historically there have been chaotic circumstances in your family life and roots. The arrival of Neptune here evokes even more rootlessness. The river turns to flood, and your vulnerable roots lose their grip. Your house may be made of straw, but your heart is in the right place. You empathize with the homeless and those who experience sickness and isolation. The inventory in your home may be washed away, and anchors may come adrift, but you discover there is something that you can never lose. It was the only thing that is permanent in your life… your heart, which is where the true value of your being resides.
The last section of this series, Pluto over the 4 angles will be coming within about 10 days.
Adrian Duncan 14th May 2011.