Planets in Style: The Costumes in Neptune's Dressing Room
Neptune's Style in Each of the Zodiac Signs
Planetary Permutations
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” goes the old proverb. The Chinese version translates as “Enter a village, follow the customs.” For the planets in astrology, the equivalent motto would be something like “When in Libra, act through Libran themes.”
The planets are always themselves and always do what they do, but they don’t always do it in the same style. As each planet transits through the Zodiac, it adapts its manner and focus to the ways of whatever sign it temporarily occupies. Whenever a planet changes signs, we might envision a figure reaching into its wardrobe and changing into a different outfit that’s appropriate to its new field of action.
While a planet occupies a sign, we may observe evidence of its influence in that field. There we may also encounter, or act personally as, agents of that planet. We always have a choice to channel or respond to the planet’s influence wisely or foolishly — that’s up to us.
In this series, we’ll look into each planet’s ‘wardrobe’ to see the style it adopts for each of its 12 regular Zodiacal visits.
What Neptune Does
Neptune is the planet of imagination. It renders impulses, thoughts, and feelings as mystical pictures in our minds, in the astral world. It produces visions and dreams that we may experience there when we’re meditating or sleeping. When we’re awake, we sometimes experience projections of these otherworldly visions on our earthly surroundings, along with unusual feeling-impressions. They are illusions, and they can be incredibly beautiful, disturbing, or both.
Neptune brings fascination, intoxication, and euphoria; she gets us “high”. Her good side is like Cinderella’s benevolent fairy godmother. It’s wonderful; it feels like a beautiful dream come true. As though from divine fairy dust, it reflects positive spiritual qualities such as truth, love, and compassion, putting us into a natural state of otherworldly bliss. This side of Neptune is inspirational and good beyond belief.
The bad side of Neptune is more like the evil witch in fairy tales, whose harmful illusions reflect negativity such as malice or greed. Like the beautiful apple offered to Snow White, its appearance is deceptive, an image of something good and desirable that is in reality a parasitical drain on life. Often it comes with artificial euphoria, produced with alcohol, drugs, or other mesmerizing poisons, that lull us into a stupor when we should be alert. Negative Neptune is misleading, hollow, and ultimately deadly.
Neptune is associated with:
The Ocean and Deep Space
Intoxication and euphoria
Disorientation and confusion
Dreams, illusions, visions, and fantasies
Dishonesty and deception
Hidden things
Psychism (empathy, telepathy, clairvoyance, mediumship, astral projection, etc.)
Spirituality and religious imagery
The Arts
Actors, impostors, and clowns
Masks, makeup, camouflage and disguises
Photos, films, videos, and holograms
Synthetics, substitutes, and borrowed things
Chemicals, oils, and gasses
Alcohol and drugs
Poisons and pollution
Mental illness
Wasting diseases such as cancer
Mystery diseases difficult to diagnose
From our experiences with Neptune, we learn to distinguish between the physical and astral worlds, and to appreciate the values of both worlds without the dangers that come with confusing or conflating them.
Neptune in Transit (cycle is about 165 years = 14 years in each sign)
The outer planets (beyond Saturn) move so slowly and stay in each sign for so long that to anticipate their influences we need to look to history. Significant developments in the world at the time of a planet’s discovery give us clues to its effects.
Neptune is the planet of the Actor and Illusionist, who deals in dreams. Appropriately, it was discovered in 1846, at a time when gas lighting was being introduced, when spiritualism and ‘mesmerism’ were popular, and anaesthetics were being introduced in surgical work.
The 1944 movie Gaslight, starring Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, and Joseph Cotten, was a psychological thriller set in 1885, when gaslights were in general use. It was about a young wife who, along with other strange experiences, believed she was seeing the eerie glow of a gaslight that no one could have lit. We still use the term “gaslight” as a verb meaning to manipulate someone into questioning their own perception of reality.
Something imaginary is going on with matters of whatever sign Neptune is in. We tend either to overlook them altogether, or not to see them for what they really are. The mystique of a personality or piece of art may enchant us; a false appearance may deceive us. There may or may not be any malicious intent involved, but there is sure to be some sort of mystery or something that isn’t real, so that our imagination may be evoked. Sometimes there’s just a bewildering sense of confusion and uncertainty about what is happening.
Like actors performing in various genres, both spirituality and the arts tend to take inspiration from the sign through which Neptune is transiting. Conversely, matters of the sign through which Neptune is transiting seem to be glamorized and become subjects of fascination in the popular psyche. Whether or not we’re acting on Neptune’s current trends, they influence all of us from deep within our minds. For clues to Neptune’s effects, let’s take a look at some of the illustrative credits through the slowly shifting genres on Neptune’s extensive résumé.
Neptune in Aries: The Big Top
“A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclists as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists…. with large-scale theatrical battle reenactments becoming a significant feature.”
— from Wikipedia, “Circus”
“Wild West shows were traveling vaudeville performances in the United States and Europe that existed around 1870–1920. The shows began as theatrical stage productions and evolved into open-air shows that depicted romanticized stereotypes of cowboys, Plains Indians, army scouts, outlaws, and wild animals that existed in the American West. While some of the storylines and characters were based on historical events, others were fictional or sensationalized.”
— from Wikipedia, “Wild West Shows”
"There has to be this pioneer, the individual who has the courage, the ambition to overcome the obstacles that always develop when one tries to do something worthwhile, especially when it is new and different."
"Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future."
“If you want something done right, do it yourself.”
The stagnation of Piscean immersion in a fading collective dream is intolerable in Aries, where Neptune liberates its glamor to the fiery individual pioneering spirit. We’ve got to follow a new dream! Imagination itself dares to assume new forms, expressive of personal independence and the courage to face the unknown.
Of course, the glamor of an inner vision can blind us to the real danger on any tightrope, race track, or battlefield, whether actual or metaphorical. Delusion in the real ‘circus’ of life can lead to failure, loss, and sometimes tragedy. But how exciting to imagine risking everything for the chance to be the first to achieve some glorious, death-defying feat! What an inspiration! Sure, it would be risky, but with truth in one’s heart, a bold vision could lead to a thrilling success! That’s the way Neptune ‘paints’ it for us in Aries.
The vision that inspires us doesn’t have to be literally death-defying, though initially it may seem to be. What matters is that it’s a vision all our own, authentic to ourselves, of something new that we truly want to do, and believe we can do (wisely or not), in the real world. We dream of the boldness and fearlessness it would take to break from the sheltering but stifling homogeneous mainstream and strike out alone, into a new ‘frontier’ of personal action. That way, we’ll be ready and eager to act when our time comes to ‘wake up’ and get moving.
Throughout history the mystique of the bold, pioneering spirit has found internal expression in exploration of spiritual realms beyond conventional religion. It’s found external expression in conflicts, splits, and wars inspired by inner visions — because individual dreams could clash with one another. Blends of imagination with fearless action are apparent in notable events during Neptune’s past transits through Aries. Here are some examples:
1206-1219: The Christian Crusades were in full swing, and Genghis Khan began his conquest of Eurasia. Various monastic orders, such as the Franciscans and Dominicans, were founded during this time.
1370-1383: This period included the Hundred Years War between England and France, and the Catholic Church split, leading to two rival popes until 1417. John Wycliffe, an English theologian, criticized abuses and orthodox doctrine, foreshadowing Protestantism.
1534-1547: This era saw Henry VIII break from Rome and declare himself supreme head of the Church of England, leading to the dissolution of the monasteries and the destruction of religious relics and churches. Martin Luther completed his translation of the Bible into German and died at the end of this period. Pope Paul III established the Roman Inquisition and began a Counter-Reformation at the Council of Trent.
1697-1711: During this period, Europe saw a lot of fighting and rebellions, including the War of Spanish Succession. The Act of Union in 1707 formed Great Britain by unifying England and Scotland. Jeremy Collier’s publication of “Ecclesiastical History of Great Britain” in 1708 upset the Protestants.
1861-1875: This period was marked by the American Civil War, which began in 1861 and ended in 1865. It was a time of division and struggle over state powers and the abolition of slavery. After the war was technically over, a deranged actor assassinated President Abraham Lincoln in a theater during the performance of a play. Additionally, the unification of Germany and Italy occurred during this time, reflecting the Aries drive for new national identities and bold leadership. On a cultural level, there was a rise in spiritualism and new religious movements, with people seeking new spiritual pathways to understanding.
Between March 30, 2025 and March 23, 2039 (with a temporary retrograde retreat back into Pisces during the last months of 2025), Neptune will again be performing awe-inspiring stunts as “The Daredevil” under the big top of the Aries Circus. It should be an exciting and refreshing time, with weariness of the status quo giving birth in all of us to the kind of bold visions that inspire pioneers. We can expect a new trend in which people who are fed up with a collective agenda strike out on their own with a new dream and the confidence to do as they see fit. It’s sure to involve risks. During this period, we should be prepared to witness both fortunate, successful new beginnings and unfortunate false starts.
For those of us who are feeling a need to replace disillusionment and distrust with authentic enthusiasm and engagement with life, Neptune has a new message. To paraphrase the famous words of President John F. Kennedy:
Imagine not what large institutions can do for you.
Imagine what you can do for yourself.
Neptune in Taurus: The Medicine Show
“Medicine shows were touring acts (traveling by truck, horse, or wagon teams) that peddled "miracle cure" patent medicines and other products between various entertainments. They developed from European mountebank shows and were common in the United States in the nineteenth century, especially in the Old West.”
from Wikipedia, “Medicine Show”
When Neptune is in the Earth sign Taurus, the zeitgeist is material. People tend to apply their spiritual insights and ideals to the realms of tangible things and money. Conversely, they often find enchantment and otherworldly inspiration among the physical objects around them.
The expression of spiritual inspiration in the material world is a wonderful thing. Beautiful objects help to reinforce ideals. They produce surroundings that are uplifting and evocative of further inspiration for lives that are more meaningful and ennobled. Thank goodness for the artists who bring beauty and significance into our material world! Without them human culture would be incomplete.
The downside of Neptune in Taurus is increased susceptibility to dubious illusions in the material world. Some objects that people make or purchase may seem to fulfill their dreams, but be somehow deceptive and even harmful. An example is the medicine shows of the 19th century, where charlatan “doctors” used to peddle “patent miracle cures” with enthusiastic claims of all sorts of wonderful healing properties. Their gullible ailing customers would feel better after taking such a “cure” and want to buy more of it, not because they were cured or even helped, but because the “medicine” contained substantial amounts of alcohol, opium, or cocaine.
“All that glisters is not gold.” — William Shakespeare
From 1875 to 1889, Neptune promoted enchanted objects both worthy and worthless in the Taurus Emporium, as reflected in the following examples:
Beautiful art and objects that reflected the spiritual world [Think of the gorgeous antiques that were made during that period!]
The rise of consumerism and mass consumption
Significant developments in chemistry and pharmaceuticals
Chemistry and drugs applied to food production
Secret ways of making money
Illusions in finances
Neptune in Gemini: Vaudeville
“Vaudeville was a form of variety entertainment that was popular in the United States and Canada from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. It was characterized by a series of unrelated acts, including comedy sketches, song and dance numbers, magic acts, acrobatics, jugglers, animal acts, and more. — Sidney Paterra, “What Was Vaudeville- A Brief History”
Variety! That’s Gemini all over, and Neptune enchanted audiences on the Gemini Vaudeville Circuit throughout the 1890s. One could walk from a city street into a theater to watch a fascinating series of live stage performances, all long enough for enjoyment but too short for boredom. There were many different kinds of acts, assortments of colorful characters, and lots of silly, comical word play — a Geminian paradise in fact, and Neptune glamorized it all.
In Gemini, Neptune brings fascination with the differences among individuals, enchantment with the faces, voices, and gestures of a variety of personalities, and outright euphoria from clever uses of language. What did someone do or say, and how? What might we understand that isn’t explicitly said? There’s something sacred in those perceptions that Neptune wants us to experience, because in its way it helps us to know one another more deeply.
When Neptune was in Gemini from 1889 to 1902, the effects included the following:
Heightened telepathic sensitivity allowed people to better understand one other’s concepts and ideas, even if they often disagreed.
People spoke, wrote, and taught about compassion and spiritual understanding.
People could learn about interesting current events from the earliest motion pictures, which were silent newsreels and documentaries.
There was an increase in communication with the unseen world via mediums.
Neptune in Cancer: Melodrama
“Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or extremely sentimental, rather than on action. Characters are often flat and written to fulfill established character archetypes. Melodramas are typically set in the private sphere of the home, focusing on morality, family issues, love, and marriage, often with challenges from an outside source, such as a "temptress", a scoundrel, or an aristocratic villain. A melodrama on stage, film, or television is usually accompanied by dramatic and suggestive music that offers further cues to the audience of the dramatic beats being presented.”
— from Wikipedia, “Melodrama”
In Cancer, Neptune’s mystique seeps into emotional attachments, where it glorifies roots, security, stability, family, and the innocence of little children. Those values are felt to be sacred, yet may somehow be — or seem to be — subjects of mystery or deception. Under Neptune in Cancer, people are unusually sensitive to family crises and the domestic emotional ‘roller coaster’. It’s the sign placement of the “soap opera”.
With the support of a sympathetic violin or piano and a supply of hankies, Neptune emoted at the Cancer Playhouse from 1902 to 1915, during which time:
People’s imaginations tended to be dreamy, idealistic, and especially sentimental.
Emotional attachment to spiritual beliefs was unusually deep.
The need to have a home and family motivated people to work and invest for their security and stability.
Feelings could be extra sensitive and impressionable, sympathetic, empathetic, and sometimes psychic, especially where family was concerned.
Relationships were characterized by more affinity and understanding, but with a tendency to exaggerate attachment due to the need to maintain affective ties.
People were more connected to their nations, their patriotic spirit, their home, family, and traditions, leading to a desire for a safe haven due to the First World War.
Mother’s Day was created, reflecting the importance of family and home during a time of war.
There was a tendency to become overprotective of loved ones, or to cultivate pessimism due to the social situation and the breakdown of structures and customs.
Popular melodramatic stage plays included The Octoroon and The Colleen Bawn by Dion Boucicault and Under the Gaslight by Augustin Daly.
Silent movies were the popular new entertainment. The necessarily exaggerated facial expressions and gestures of their actors lent themselves perfectly to melodrama. The very earliest of many cinematic “tearjerkers” were made in this era. They included The Perils of Pauline (1914), starring Pearl White, and A Fool There Was (1915), with Theda Bara (“The Vamp”).
A greater power of imagination allowed the creation of new scenarios and experiences, contributing to the cultural and scientific advancements of the time.
Large-scale manufacturing industries were formed, such as Ford in the automotive industry, reflecting the desire for security and stability.
President Theodore Roosevelt strengthened the U.S. economy, gaining foreign markets and beginning to exert economic dominance over other countries.
Neptune in Leo: Extravaganza
“Extravaganza came, in the 20th century, to more broadly refer to an elaborate, spectacular, and expensive theatrical production.”
— from Wikipedia, “Extravaganza”
When Neptune is in Leo, pleasure and extravagance aren’t just fun; they’re ecstatic. Everything feels like musical theater, larger than life, with ethereal costumes and elaborate sets. The music alone is enough to transport participants to the heights of bliss. It’s one big spectacular party! Everything is beautiful, and everyone is having a wonderful time! With so much encouragement of self-expression and fun, why not live it up all the way? Apparently that was how it seemed to people who lived during the “Roaring” 1920s.
From 1915 until 1929, Neptune lived it up at the extravagant party in Leo, serving drinks, dreams, and spectacular theatrical performances, during which time:
There was a departure from old habits and a shift towards new societal paradigms.
People were more inclined to express themselves artistically and pursue their dreams, sometimes at the expense of traditional family structures.
The passion and creativity of Leo were amplified, leading to a vibrant artistic expression in cinema, music, theater, and fashion.
New York offered spectacular song-and-dance revues at the Ziegfeld Follies on Broadway. New musicals, including Irene, Sally, Lady Be Good, Sunny, No, No, Nanette, Harlem, Oh, Kay!, Funny Face, and Show Boat, could be seen on “The Great White Way”; Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Rodgers & Hart would go on to compose many more of them.
Popular radio and silent films left much to the imagination. Rudolph Valentino was a prominent Italian-American actor who became one of the first male heartthrobs in the silent film era of the 1920s. Known as the "Latin Lover" and the "Great Lover," Valentino's screen presence and charisma made him a cultural icon and a symbol of the emerging celebrity-obsessed culture of the time. Valentino starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The Sheik, Blood and Sand, The Eagle, and The Son of the Sheik.
Jazz music flourished.
The Hollywood phenomenon and the rise of the entertainment industry began, including the early “talkies” on the big “silver screen”. One of the first of these starred Al Jolson in a coming-of-age story of a young man who adored his family but couldn’t let it stop him from fulfilling his talent as The Jazz Singer.
Young people expressed their exuberance freely, in bobbed hair, loose clothing, and wild new dance crazes like the Charleston, the Foxtrot, and the Tango.
The fashion of Coco Chanel became prominent.
Notable artists like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso emerged.
Prohibition was not able to stop the use of alcohol and drugs.
This era was also known as the “Crazy Years” in Brazil, reflecting a significant change in women’s behavior and emancipation.
Overall, people experienced creative inspiration, refined warmth, spiritual love and generosity, and hidden leadership.
Though the first movie musicals were short and simple by modern standards, they were phenomenally astounding to audiences of the day, who could hardly believe there was such a thing as movies with sound! Follow the links to read about (and view) the following early movie musicals:
The Jazz Singer (1927)
Applause (1929)
The Broadway Melody (1929)
Hallelujah! (1929)
The Hollywood Revue of 1929 (1929)
The Love Parade (1929)
Show Boat (1929)
Show of Shows (1929)
Neptune in Virgo: Classic Drama
“Drama Films are serious presentations or stories with settings or life situations that portray realistic characters in conflict with either themselves, others, or forces of nature. A dramatic film shows us human beings at their best, their worst, and everything in-between…. Dramatic themes often include current issues, societal ills, and problems, concerns or injustices, such as racial prejudice, religious intolerance, drug addiction, poverty, political unrest, the corruption of power, alcoholism, class divisions, sexual inequality, mental illness, corrupt societal institutions, violence toward women or other explosive issues of the times. These films have successfully drawn attention to the issues by taking advantage of the topical interest of the subject.”
— from filmsite, “Drama”
When Neptune is in Virgo, people idealize practical function. They dream of having a healthy body, a good job, accomplishing their tasks efficiently, and doing everything correctly. Those ideals prompt them to perform their work and health regimes earnestly and religiously. Along with that, they tend to view spirituality as a job assignment to be fulfilled through correct actions, prioritizing the importance of attending religious services, following scripture to the letter, and performing “good works”.
How does society get to this sober mindset from the carefree binge of the previous sign? Well, we know how it happened the last time Neptune made this transition, when it gave a whole new meaning to the “post-party crash”. It was the stock market that crashed, and in the ensuing Great Depression, many people lost their money and their jobs, not to mention their health. They were desperate to find other work, but there was very little work to be found. As if that weren’t depressing enough, it was followed by the onset of World War II. Suddenly people were too concerned with real economic hardship and social upheaval to dream of anything but a decent job and a life that would be well regulated and normal.
Personal philosophies and societal structures had to be made more practical. Serious thought had to be given to the way people approached health, work, and community service. The new ideals called for careful analysis and systematic organization of people’s daily routines. The following were some relevant events of the time:
A rise of Social Realism in art and literature, reflecting the struggles of the common people during the economic downturn
Improved technology in cinema, including technicolor, that made films more realistic
A notable shift in societal attitudes towards public health, nutrition, and service, with a growing awareness of the importance of these factors in improving community welfare
A mystical quest for purity
Analysis of spiritual and psychic investigations
Use of faith healing
Use of drugs in healing
The beginning of the Antibiotic Era with the discovery and clinical use of penicillin
From 1928 to 1943, Neptune dispensed human drama therapy to everyone who could afford to attend the Virgo Movie Theater. A blend of practicality and spirituality in many of the pictures shown there helped to raise moviegoers’ morale with assurances that they weren’t suffering alone and could manage their challenges successfully. Here’s a list of movies people saw in that era:
Anna Christie (1930)
Min and Bill (1930)
The Champ (1931)
Grand Hotel (1932)
I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932)
Red Dust (1932)
Little Women (1933)
Morning Glory (1933)
Of Human Bondage (1934)
Great Expectations (1935)
The Informer (1935)
Les Misérables (1935)
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Dodsworth (1936)
Fury (1936)
Dead End (1937)
The Good Earth (1937)
The Hurricane (1937)
Lost Horizon (1937)
Stage Door (1937)
A Star is Born (1937)
Boys Town (1938)
Jezebel (1938)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Old Maid (1939)
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
The Rules of the Game (1939, Fr.) (aka La règle du jeu)
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
Dark Victory (1939)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Knute Rockne: All-American (1940)
Pride and Prejudice (1940)
Rebecca (1940)
All This, and Heaven Too (1940)
Citizen Kane (1941)
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
Meet John Doe (1941)
Now, Voyager (1942)
Casablanca (1942)
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)
The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
Hitler's Children (1943)
The Human Comedy (1943)
The Song of Bernadette (1943)
Neptune in Libra: Romance
“Romance films are love stories, or affairs of the heart that center on passion, emotion, and the romantic, affectionate involvement of the main characters (usually a leading man and lady), and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus…. Romantic films often explore the essential themes of love at first sight, young (and older) love, unrequited love, obsessive love, sentimental love, spiritual love, forbidden love, sexual and passionate love, sacrificial love, explosive and destructive love, and tragic love.”
— from filmsite, “Romance Films”
When Neptune was in Libra, the world was in the process of recovering from World War II. People weren’t about to abandon the refinements they’d gained in the previous era, but life was getting better, and their new ideals were social rather than practical.
The focus of the new dreams was relationships, many of which had been disrupted and damaged during the war. Virgo-style rules and regulations wouldn’t help to heal wounded hearts or rebuild and strengthen human relationships, but Libran fairness and cooperation could.
So people dreamed of ideal love, visualizing balance, justice, harmony, and smooth cooperation, in their partnerships and extending to all of their relationships. As usual where Neptune is involved, there was often mystery and/or confusion as to how to bring the harmonious ideal into reality, which suggested many interesting scenarios to creative artists of the day.
Effects during that period included:
Love of beauty and harmony
New poetry, art, and music
Spiritual idealism about relationships and justice
Confusion over right human relations
Neptune intrigued audiences with “relationship” movies of all kinds at the Libra Theatre from 1942 until 1957. Popular titles included the following:
Random Harvest (1942)
Woman of the Year (1942)
Double Indemnity (1944)
To Have and Have Not (1944)
It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
Notorious (1946)
The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
The African Queen (1951)
An American in Paris (1951)
A Place In The Sun (1951)
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
The Quiet Man (1952)
Singin' In The Rain (1952)
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Roman Holiday (1953)
Sabrina (1954)
A Star is Born (1954)
Lady and the Tramp (1955)
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)
Marty (1955)
Picnic (1955)
To Catch a Thief (1955)
The King and I (1956)
An Affair to Remember (1957)
Neptune in Scorpio: Horror
“Horror Films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events. They deal with our most primal nature and its fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our revulsions, our terror of the unknown, our fear of death and dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.”
— from filmsite, “Horror Films”
Neptune’s transit through Scorpio correlated with the cultural and societal changes of the 1960s, including the rise of the counterculture movement. The period was noted for its intense and transformative influences, particularly on the themes of sexuality, spirituality, and social change.
Intensification of feelings compelled many people to face and resolve a battle between their desire nature and their passionate pursuit of spiritual values. There was a breakdown in traditional values and a greater desire to escape reality through various means, including sexual liberation, drug experimentation, and the emergence of new religious cults.
The years when Neptune was in Scorpio saw the following:
Deeper, more intense feelings and undercurrents
Sexual fantasies, and sex combined with drugs
A search for harmony and bliss, which was often manifested through drug use, music, and sexual liberation
Celebration of the ideals of free love and experimentation with drugs at music festivals
Mystical and occult investigation and research, prompted by the desire for spiritual awareness
Dramatic violence
Wars with hidden agendas
As Neptune left Scorpio around 1970, the negative consequences of these behaviors, such as the spread of sexual diseases and the impact of hard drugs, became more apparent.
From 1956 until 1970, Neptune tantalized and terrified audiences at the Scorpio Theatre in such films as the following:
The Bad Seed (1956)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
The Curse of Frankenstein (1957, UK)
Curse of the Demon (1957, UK) (aka Night of the Demon)
I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
The Fly (1958) (sequels Return of the Fly (1959) and Curse of the Fly (1965)
Horror of Dracula (1958, UK) (aka Dracula)
The Revenge of Frankenstein (1958)
House on Haunted Hill (1959) (remake in 1999)
The Tingler (1959)
Black Sunday (1960, It.) (aka La Maschera Del Demonio)
Les Yeux Sans Visage (1960, Fr./It.) (aka Eyes Without a Face, or The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus)
Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
Peeping Tom (1960, UK)
Psycho (1960), and sequels (1983, 1986, TV's prequel 1990) and remake (1998)
Village of the Damned (1960, UK)
Homicidal (1961)
The Innocents (1961, UK)
The Pit and the Pendulum (1961)
Burn Witch, Burn! (1962)
Carnival of Souls (1962)
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
The Birds (1963)
The Haunting (1963, UK)
Dead Ringer (1964)
Kwaidan (1964), (aka Ghost Stories (1965))
The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
Onibaba (1964, Jp.) (aka The Hole)
The Tomb of Ligeia (1964, UK)
Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1965)
Repulsion (1965, UK)
Frankenstein Created Woman (1966)
The Plague of the Zombies (1966, UK)
Seconds (1966)
Viy (1967, USSR) (aka Spirit of Evil)
The Devil Rides Out (1968, UK), (aka The Devil's Bride)
Hour of the Wolf (1968, Swe.) (aka Vargtimmen)
Night of the Living Dead (1968) (entire Dead series)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Witchfinder General (1968, UK) (aka The Conqueror Worm)
Neptune in Sagittarius: Comedy
“Comedy Films are "make 'em laugh" films designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are light-hearted dramas, crafted to amuse, entertain, and provoke enjoyment. The comedy genre humorously exaggerates the situation, the language, action, and characters. Comedies observe the deficiencies, foibles, and frustrations of life, providing merriment and a momentary escape from day-to-day life. They usually have happy endings, although the humor may have a serious or pessimistic side.”
— from filmsite, “Comedy Films”
In the optimistic years when Neptune was in Sagittarius, the collective consciousness was more receptive than before to general knowledge and wisdom. There was a greater need for mental and spiritual evolution. Many valued and sought to cultivate the gift of spiritual vision. There was a trend to focus on spiritual goals and become more expansive and inclusive of differing cultures and beliefs. People wanted to travel, to study, to learn and teach about all kinds of perspectives on life, and to laugh at the humor in it all.
By one path or another, everyone could expand their horizons and become wiser — or at least be deliriously happy. Lots of people really did find greater spiritual inspiration and wisdom, and were happier for for what they learned. Sadly, some of them found “spiritual” delusion and — well, they learned…
During that expansive time:
Voyager 1 and 2 were launched
The IMAX format was invented, which depicted celluloid fantasies on an epic scale.
Mind-expanding blockbusters, like the Star Wars original trilogy, E.T., and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, were released into theaters.
People wanted a freer, more tolerant society and became more globally conscious.
Tourism gained focus due to increased air travel.
The Acting Company, a highly respected touring repertory company that has brought top-quality classical performances to over 3 million people nationally and internationally, was founded in 1972.
There was a resurgence in the love of learning and exploration.
Philosophy played a significant role in the search for a greater meaning in life.
There was visionary imagination and mysticism in religion and philosophy. Many people were drawn to religions from foreign cultures; Zen Buddhism gained popularity.
Many colorful new religious cults, such as “Jesus freaks”, groups inspired by fantasy novels, and various traditions of Neopaganism, sprang up in the counterculture.
Popular antidepressants such as Prozac were developed to keep everyone happy.
The Peoples Temple mass suicide and murder by poisoned Kool-Aid occurred on November 18, 1978, in Jonestown, Guyana.
Politicians were concerned about drugs.
Illusions and deception were seen in world affairs
From 1970 until 1984, Neptune traveled merrily with The Sagittarius International Touring Theatre Company, and also made comedy pictures, some of which were:
M*A*S*H (1970)
Bananas (1971)
Harold and Maude (1971)
The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
What's Up, Doc? (1972)
American Graffiti (1973)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Young Frankenstein (1974)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975, UK)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Shampoo (1975)
The Sunshine Boys (1975)
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings (1976)
Car Wash (1976)
Silver Streak (1976)
Annie Hall (1977)
The Goodbye Girl (1977)
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)
Oh, God! (1977) and sequels (1980, 1984)
Semi-Tough (1977)
Slap Shot (1977)
Heaven Can Wait (1978)
(National Lampoon's) Animal House (1978)
Up in Smoke (1978)
Being There (1979)
Breaking Away (1979)
The In-Laws (1979)
The Jerk (1979)
Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979)
10 (1979)
Airplane! (1980)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Caddyshack (1980)
9 to 5 (1980)
Private Benjamin (1980)
Stir Crazy (1980)
Arthur (1981)
Stripes (1981)
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982)
Diner (1982)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)
48 Hours (1982)
My Favorite Year (1982)
Tootsie (1982)
Victor/Victoria (1982)
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983)
Risky Business (1983)
Trading Places (1983)
All of Me (1984)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
Broadway Danny Rose (1984)
Neptune in Capricorn: History
“Epics-Historical Films often take an historical or imagined event, mythic, legendary, or heroic figure, and add an extravagant setting and lavish costumes, accompanied by grandeur and spectacle and a sweeping musical score. Epics, costume dramas, historical dramas, war film epics, medieval romps, or 'period pictures' are tales that often cover a large expanse of time set against a vast, panoramic backdrop. In an episodic manner, they follow the continuing adventures of the hero(s), who are presented in the context of great historical events of the past.”
— from filmsite, “Epics - Historical Films”
Capricorn being the most serious and responsible sign of the Zodiac, Neptune’s transit through it gives ideals of influence (ours or someone else’s) over groups of people who are dependent on strong leadership for survival and well-being. It’s about authority — those in charge and in control — whether of a family, a small or large business, or some level of a government.
What do we feel about authority? How is it being used? What sort of reputation do we most respect? What could be done in the world that would have a lasting effect on a whole society? The perspective in question is from one’s role in the context of a greater society in which one lives. It’s the perspective that is typically presented to us in historical films, or epics — the perspective that Neptune in Capricorn leads us to envision.
If we compare the ideals of the 1970s and early 1980s to an educational tour around the world in a hot air balloon, we might say that around 1984 the hot air went out of our collective balloon. As far as Neptune was concerned, we were done with the theories of ‘school’ and graduated to reality. Our future would be up to us. We stopped dreaming of the next exotic culture we would visit, and came down to earth for practical adaptation to, and preferably control of, established conditions in the real world.
That ‘descent’ meant different things to different people. Some, whose dreams had been too unrelated to reality, experienced a rude awakening and a radical switch from idealism to cynicism when their pie-in-the-sky plans turned out not to work. Others, in varying degrees of disillusionment and disappointment, found ways to adapt without abandoning the most cherished of their ideals.
Neptune was still with us, but new dreams involving more of existing society had to be practical. So those of us who retained basic idealism began to dream practical, idealistic dreams about our world. And those of us who opted to abandon idealism began to dream practical, cynical dreams about our world. As dreams they could all be secrets, but revelation comes with eventual manifestation in our world, which happens more easily during this period, for good or ill.
Neptune in Capricorn was something like Neptune in Taurus, but more collective and powerful. It produced great mesmerizing illusions on the epic scale of large corporations (especially “Big Pharma”), institutions, and government.
When Neptune was in Capricorn, we experienced the following effects:
Practical idealism, and mystical traditions that supported it
Conservative, sometimes cynical, approach to life
Applied discipline on the spiritual path
Fantasies about wealth and fame, increased focus on wealth and fame
Highly driven ambition, with a strong sense of practical idealism
Ability to turn dreams into reality
Manipulation by powerful financial forces
The attempt to control the use of illegal drugs while pharmaceutical drugs are used increasingly
Neptune performed masterfully in great epic films shown at the stately Capricorn Theatre from 1984 until 1998. They included the following:
Amadeus (1984)
Dune (1984)
The Killing Fields (1984)
A Passage to India (1984, US/UK)
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
King Solomon's Mines (1985)
Out of Africa (1985)
Ran (1985, Jp./Fr.)
The Mission (1986, UK/US)
Empire of the Sun (1987)
The Last Emperor (1987, Fr./It./UK)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
Glory (1989)
Dances with Wolves (1990)
JFK (1991)
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)
Malcolm X (1992)
Gettysburg (1993)
Jurassic Park (1993)
Schindler's List (1993)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Apollo 13 (1995)
Braveheart (1995)
Nixon (1995)
The English Patient (1996)
Kundun (1997)
Titanic (1997)
Elizabeth (1998)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
The Thin Red Line (1998)
Neptune in Aquarius: Science Fiction
“Science Fiction Films are often quasi-scientific, visionary, comic-strip like and imaginative - and usually visualized through fanciful, imaginative settings, expert film production design, advanced technology gadgets (i.e., robots and spaceships, futuristic weapons), scientific developments, or by fantastic special effects…. Sci-fi films are complete with heroes, distant planets, impossible quests, aliens or androids (extra-terrestrials), mutants or giant and extraordinary monsters ('things or creatures from space'), improbable settings, fantastic places, dystopic (apocalyptic or post-holocaust) worlds, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology and gizmos, nightmarish and unreal worlds, pandemics, climate disasters or plagues, and unknown or inexplicable forces either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc. Many SF films feature interstellar or time travels and fantastic journeys, and are set either on Earth, into outer space, or (most often) into the future time. Quite a few examples of science-fiction cinema owe their origins to writers Jules Verne and H.G. Wells.”
— from filmsite, “Science Fiction Films”
In Aquarius, the dreams we get from Neptune are not of money or tangible treasures, but rather of the abstract, creative powers of the mind. What can we learn about the workings of the universe that we never understood before? What can we do that we’ve never believed could be done? How can we apply new knowledge to improve our lives? When Neptune is in any other sign, questions like that don’t usually occur to us. But when Neptune is in Aquarius, both the questions and their answers seem to occur easily to many of us, along with vivid visions of the sensational upgrades and novelties they imply. The dreams we dream are very like the startling scenes we see in science fiction.
Think of the way technological development accelerated at the end of the 1990s, when Neptune entered Aquarius. For example, there were computers and cell phones then, but they were heavy, cumbersome, and limited. We may have used a computer at work, but a PC was a luxury that not everyone had or needed, and none of those primitive cell phones was practical to carry around. Life was still more “old school” than not.
But the undeniably astounding speed with which all of that changed was enough to make our collective heads spin! By the time Neptune left Aquarius in 2012, nearly everyone had both a fast, efficient PC and a personal cell phone as portable as a candy bar, and couldn’t imagine life without them. And those are just common examples. There were plenty of other advancements in technology at the time that electrified and dazzled our dreams.
Theoretically, exciting developments in mental approaches to spirituality were to be expected, and that certainly happened in astrology. Sophisticated new software enabled all astrologers to calculate accurate, complex charts by computer instead of by hand [groan…..]. Communication among astrologers improved with new conveniences like the “Festival” list, which was a sort of international online astrologers’ chat. New research could be shared far more quickly. New astrology schools were formed.
Neptune also brought new vision to the progressive humanitarian values of Aquarius, helping to create a cultural climate that emphasized idealism and the potential for societal change.
A big upside of Neptune in Aquarius was the amazing efficiency with which computers enabled us to work and play in myriad ways with digital images and sounds, and to share our output. I won’t pretend I didn’t love that then, and don’t love it still.
I’m not sure that as of March 2025 we know all about the downside. We do know that the digital world can be so much fun as to be addictive and conducive to unwise neglect of other important parts of life. We know, too, about deceptive threats to security online. Likely we have much more to learn about other things like physical hazards of blue light and radiation.
Observed effects of Neptune’s most recent transit through Aquarius included the following:
Stimulation of science, spiritual awakening and imagination
A romanticized view of societal advancements
A sense of unity and progress
Scientific approaches to mysticism and psychism
Conflation of science with spirituality, as though science were a
religion (“scientism”)
Greater use of drugs in psychology
Further advances involving chemistry and genetic engineering
From 1998 to 2012, Neptune streamed the following sci-fi movies from Aquariflix:
Armageddon (1998)
Dark City (1998)
The Truman Show (1998)
The Matrix (1999) (and its two sequels in 2003): The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Star Wars - (2nd Trilogy): Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002), Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
The Cell (2000)
X-Men (2000) (and sequels in 2003, 2006, 2009): X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Donnie Darko (2001)
Minority Report (2002)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Primer (2004)
Serenity (2005)
Children of Men (2006, UK)
A Scanner Darkly (2006)
Transformers (2007) (and its many sequels)
The Dark Knight (2008)
Avatar (2009) (and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022))
District 9 (2009)
Moon (2009, UK)
Inception (2010)
The Hunger Games (2012)
Neptune in Pisces: Fantasy
“Fantasy Films: Unlike science fiction films that base their content upon some degree of scientific truth, take the audience to netherworld, fairy-tale places where events are unlikely to occur in real life. In mythological or legendary times, they transcend the bounds of human possibility and physical laws. Fantasy films are often in the context of the imagination, dreams, or hallucinations of a character or within the projected vision of the storyteller. Fantasy films often have an element of magic, myth, wonder, escapism, and the extraordinary. They may appeal to both children and adults, depending upon the particular film.”
— from filmsite, “Fantasy Films”
During Neptune’s transit through otherworldly Pisces, we shouldn’t be surprised if all of reality seems to be under a weird magic spell. Theoretically, it should be easy to forget that we’re dealing with two different worlds, the astral and the physical, each with its own set of rules. The symbolism indicates that the lines between reality and illusion are easily blurred, and boundaries are vague. “Life is but a dream,” it suggests, or maybe a nightmare, depending on our inner state of balance.
As we approach the end of the current Neptune-in-Pisces era, I pronounce the above theory a Colossal Understatement. I think we would all agree that life hasn’t seemed normal since the spring of 2011, but beyond that it seems that we haven’t been sure of agreement on the reality of anything.
Illusion being the overall theme of this Watery period, there’s no reason to assume that we’ve all been sharing the very same dreams, though we may have been believing or wishing that we did. Disoriented, we’ve been dismayed at times to discover the falsehood of things we thought were real, and vice versa. It’s even apparent that some things nearly all of us firmly believed in for as long as we could remember had been illusions all along. (Did I mention that this era was bound to be confusing?)
We do know that Neptune’s previous transit through Pisces, from 1847 to 1862, was a period marked by:
The Romanticism era, a time of great emphasis on nature, poetry, and culture
The end of slavery around the world
The rise of socialist ideologies
Neptune’s current transit through Pisces seems to be linked to the following influences, which would also have been felt under the previous one:
A heightened sense of creativity, spirituality, and dissolution of boundaries
Greater feelings of oneness, the love of God and spiritual awareness of all kinds
A greater sense of charity and care for the unfortunate
Richer imagination
Changes in how we perceive love, art, and music, potentially leading to an age of enlightenment
I don’t think there’s anything on my list of general Neptune associations that we haven’t encountered many times, probably more than we even know, over the past 14 years. We’ve seen things we’d never before dreamed we’d see — unreal(?) extremes of both good and evil.
At this point, we have our opinions and hopes, but we’re not quite out of the fog of this Neptune-facilitated mystery. In my view, if we haven’t drowned in the illusion and confusion by now, we probably aren’t going to. We’ll emerge from it. Likely we’ll find that some of our dreams can work out well in the real world, and others not so much. In the meantime, we need to stay centered, keep loving, keep visualizing good things, and do our best to see truth.
Neptune has been blending (with) audiences in the misty, stageless Pisces Theatre since April 4, 2011. Though she‘ll appear at the Aries Circus from March 30 through October 22 of 2025, due to retrogradation she’ll be returning to the Pisces until January 26, 2026. Fantasies into which we’ve escaped there so far include the following:
