We hate to interrupt it to you, however we’re, in actual fact, smack dab in the midst of one other retrograde. Why, oh why should the planets plague us like this, you might be pondering. However worry not: Neptune retrograde is not fairly as energetically unsettling as its cousin, Mercury retrograde.
“Astrologically any retrograde is a time for overview and rebalancing,” says astrologer Alicia Orre. “In contrast to our quickest planet, Mercury, that retrogrades 3 times annually — apparently inflicting chaos and disruption in journey and communication — Neptune’s journey is far slower, sliding backwards a couple of levels over 5 months, so the disruption is much less jarring, and extra transformative.”
Whereas Neptune retrograde will not be fairly so disturbing as a Mercury retrograde, it might nonetheless go away you feeling just a bit ‘off’ within the weeks and months to return.
What’s Neptune retrograde?
A fast science recap: the planets by no means go backwards (duh) – however generally, from Earth, it appears as if they pivot and transfer backwards within the sky. Neptune retrograde happens yearly and lasts nearly six months.
“Neptune is the planet farthest from the solar and has a 165 yr orbit that means that it strikes extremely slowly by the constellations,” explains Orre. “A planet is in retrograde when it seems to backtrack throughout the sky from east to west — the wrong way of its normal ahead movement. All of the planets have retrograde intervals.”
This yr, Neptune retrograde started on July 2. It is because of final till December 7.
What does the Neptune retrograde imply for us?
Though the Neptune retrograde can be softer and calmer than the chaos of a Mercury retrograde, it’s more likely to go away you feeling a bit unbalanced.
“Neptune is the planet of phantasm, typically related to deception or loss,” says Orre. “It holds a dissolving, boundary-less high quality, so the constructions or habits we depend on can fall away now.”
Though shedding your sense of construction can really feel destabilising, it may be a time of therapeutic.
“It might appear destructive, however it doesn’t should be,” she says. “Neptune is therapeutic, and encourages us to be extra compassionate and loving, embracing the concept of common vitality or one-ness. It’s what doesn’t serve us that disintegrates.”
As such, this can be a time of dealing with sure truths about your life.
“Neptune in retrograde it can serve us all a actuality test,” says Orre. “The rose-tinted glasses are eliminated — abruptly issues turn out to be clear. It will possibly really feel like a wake-up name.” This may occasionally really feel unusual at first, however hopefully, it can assist you to “discover the steadiness between the phantasm we now have believed, and actual life.”
This explicit Neptune retrograde has added significance as a result of this can be its final retrograde in Pisces, its ruling signal. In different phrases, it is about to depart “residence” after 13 years. In March 2025, it can enter Aries.
Embracing the Neptune retrograde
So, how can we embrace the entire eye-opening, destabilising vitality of the Neptune retrograde?
Step one is to decide to being trustworthy with your self. What illusions have you ever been clinging to? Which truths have you ever been avoiding?
“With phantasm being Neptune’s signature, we need to use this time to take stock of life areas that we now have averted, or the place we now have deceived ourselves,” says Orre. “It will largely rely on our particular person astrology and the place the mutable indicators fall inside it.”
Orre suggests practising methods that assist you to confront your interior self, reminiscent of yoga, meditation or different non secular practices. “With self compassion, understanding and curiosity, the following few months might help us individually and collectively transcend right into a higher sense of affection, peace and unity for all, beginning with ourselves,” she says.
