N E P T U N E I N A Q U A R I U S
The planet Neptune stays in each sign for approximately 14 years. It has been in Capricorn from 1984 to 1998. It will be in Aquarius from January 29, 1998 to August 29, 1998 and then November 29, 1998 to April 4, 2011 with a final fling in July 5, 2011 to February 3, 2012.
The last twelve Neptune in Aquarius periods were:
Feb 13, 1834 - July 31, 1834, Dec 17, 1834 - April 26, 1847, July 11,
1847 - Feb 17, 1848, Oct 15, 1848 - Dec 6, 1848
Mar 1, 1670 - July 8,1670, Nov 1, 1671 - Mar 3, 1684, Sep 14, 1864 - Jan 1, 1685
Mar 27, 1506 - Jun 11, 1506, Jan 19, 1507 - Sep 15, 1507, Nov 8,
1507 - Mar 21, 1520, Aug 21, 1520 - Jan 22, 1521
Feb 4, 1343 - Aug 13, 1343, Dec 6, 1343 - Apr 9,1356, Jul 26, 1356 - Feb 7, 1357
Feb 23, 1179 - Jul 19, 1179, Dec 27, 1179 - Aug 14, 1192, Jun 21, 1192 - Feb 24, 1193,
Jul 24, 1193 - Dec 21, 1193
1015 - 1029
0852 - 0865
0688 - 0702
0524 - 0538
0361 - 0374
0197 - 0211
0033 - 0047
There is a pattern to the Uranus and Pluto placements durig these Neptune in Aquarius eras. Each time, Uranus is about 17 to 14 degrees backwards of where it was the prior time (because Uranus' seven year cycle is just a little shy of twice Neptune's 14 year cycle). The table of Uranus placement when Neptune entered Aquarius follows:
0033 - 18 Leo
0197 - 01 Leo
0361 - 14 Cancer
0524 - 23 Gemini
0688 - 07 Gemini
0852 - 22 Taurus
1015 - 05 Taurus
1179 - 20 Aries
1343 - 05 Aries
1506 - 21 Pisces
1670 - 07 Pisces
1834 - 23 Aquarius
1998 - 09 Aquarius
Pluto makes almost exactly two trips around the zodiac for each three times around for Neptune. So every third time when Neptune is in Aquarius, Pluto is in the same sign. In the last couple of thousand years, the three signs are Gemini, Aries, and Sagittarius. Pluto moves two degrees forward in Gemini on each round, three degrees forward in Aries, and two degress back in Sagittarius. Notice that it takes a little less than 500 years to make a round (from Pluto in Sagittarius while Neptune enters Aquarius to the same pattern). Pluto is in Sagittarius with Neptune entering Aquarius every 500 years, and, significantly, near the turns of the millenniums.
0033 - 15 Sagittarius
0197 - 23 Gemini
0361 - 03 Aries
0524 - 14 Sagittarius
0688 - 26 Gemini
0852 - 06 Aries
1015 - 13 Sagittarius
1179 - 28 Gemini
1343 - 09 Aries
1506 - 10 Sagittarius
1670 - 29 Gemini 50
1834 - 11 Aries
1998 - 2012 09 Sagittarius
So, in Uranian terms, we are like 1834 and in Plutonian terms we are like 1506, 1015, 524, and 33. The Pluto effect seems to be the stronger.
The facade, the image of each 14-year generation is shown by their Neptune. If Neptune is in Libra, the image is harmonious, social, and fair. The Neptune in Virgo generation was the crew-cut 50s generation (but also the social-worker, service generation). For the last 14 years Neptune has been in Capricorn--the image has been serious, productive, and businesslike. Also, Neptune in Capricorn can be divisive since each Neptunian type tends to stay in their own "world" (Saturn, which rules Capricorn, is the planet of limits and boundaries), separated by a sense of "status" from other human beings (Capricorn always tries to be at the top of the hierarchy, the top of the pecking order).
The Neptunian type of person is dreamy, floating, intuitive, and illusive. Glamor, romance, and universal love are ruled by Neptune.
As Neptune changes signs the people I have described shift their image, their dream. When Neptune was in Sagittarius, many of the Neptunian types were into being "natural" and they stayed on the farms out in the country. When Neptune entered Capricorn, the Neptunians decided they wanted to start a business and move to the city--they would project the image of "having it together", of being serious. This was moderated in the early nineties by the Uranus-Neptune conjunct--the Neptunians wanted to be free (Uranus) of all this seriousness (Capricorn).
Movies, media, and advertising all are forms of projecting an image. The types of images that resonate with the public, and so the advertising message, changes with Neptune.
Neptune represents the broader economic currents. Therefore Neptune in Aquarius represents times of economic reform or revolution. Since the "spirit of the times", the "zeitgeist", is represented by Neptune as well, the economic changes spring out of a new spirit, a new vibration. There was a scientific and artistic revolution during the last Neptune in Aquarius period -- and there was a corresponding economic revolution.
When Neptune enters Aquarius, we will be able to watch the Neptunians project a new image. The image will be aloof, humanitarian, idealistic, friendly, and different. There will be competition to see who can project the most outrageous image. This is quite a contrast from the Neptune in Capricorn years when people tried to project the most serious, constructive, business-like image they could (this image was often at odds with what was happening underneath). What was happening underneath often surfaced during Neptune in Aquarius periods in history.
Neptune is the planet of faith, spirituality, and religion. The religious forms and the way people frame their faith emerges from Neptune's placement. When Neptune was in Sagittarius (1970 - 1984), faith was seen in the context of organized religion and proselytization (but people had faith in Nature, as well). When Neptune entered Capricorn, religion and faith took a more serious, constructive, moral, and organized form.
Based on past periods, Neptune in Aquarius will be a time of religious freedom and reform. Likely, the old faiths, whether faith in science or religious faith, will undergo dramatic change. This is compounded by Pluto in Sagittarius (see the Neptune in Aquarius themes, then look at the Pluto in Sagittarius / Neptune in Aquarius periods below).
Because Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, the placement of Uranus has a heavy influence on the Uranus in Aquarius periods. You can subdivide the Neptune in Aquarius periods into three sections based on where Uranus was during the time period. For example, during the 1834 to 1848 period, Uranus started at 23 Aquarius in 1834, entered Pisces in 1835 and Aries in 1844. The Uranus in Aquarius period completed the liberalization started by the revolutions of 1830 (two years after Uranus entered Aquarius but while Neptune was still in Capricorn). The Uranus in Pisces period focused on compassion for the poor (Dickens, poor laws, etc) and ether, ozone, oceanography, hypnosis, etc (all Piscean themes). After Uranus entered Aries, where Pluto was, the emphasis quickly became throwing off workers chains (the Communist Manifesto), gold rush, maifest destiny, the revolutions of 1848, the Mexican-American war, the Alamo, potato famine, etc--there was a more energetic and martial feel.
The underlying spirit of Neptune in Aquarius is a need to break out of the ordinary, to breakthrough to new spiritual states, to change life, to go for something larger than yourself (especially with Pluto in Sagittarius). After the need to work hard, to focus on business, to build up your career, to stoic asceticism and austere status of the last 14 years, this will be a relief.
On the other hand, Neptune does have problems with Aquarius. Aquarius is scientific, abstract, and theoretical. Fuzzy, spacy Neptune doesn't feel exactly comfortable here. There is a tendency for Aquarius to put down Neptune as unscientific and illogical. Neptune in Aquarius is like a medium in a scientific gathering--unless, perhaps, this was a meeting of parapsychology researchers there might very well be a problem ("Hi, I'm a medium!" "The salad bar is calling...").
A way to understand this is to realize that Neptune is exalted in Leo, but
in its fall in Aquarius. When a planet is in its fall it is "put
down" in that sign. Neptunian dreams and imagination are put down by
aloof, scientific Aquarius (unless they have Moon in Pisces, as this Aquarius
does).
1834 - 1848 (Pluto 11 Aries, Uranus 23 Aquarius)
Summary: The years from 1830 (1828 was when Uranus entered Aquarius) to 1848 are labeled the years of the Economic Revolution. There was a liberal revolt by the wealthy middle classes which protested the rigidities and shortcomings of the conservative politics of 1815. Railroads and sailing vessels vastly increased which created a liberalizing environment as rural areas became easily connected with the cities and each other. This was the start of the world (Aquarius) economy (Neptune) as farmers products could be loaded onto a train and then a ship and sent all over the world. Now a cotton farmer in Egypt could compete with a cotton grower in the southern U.S.
This period was the "heroic age of railroad building" in Britain -- the first railways in Germany and Russia were built. Also, British tonnage on the open seas increased vastly. The end result was less parochialism, more emphasis on free trade -- the corn laws and navigation laws which impeded trade were repealed.
The revolutions of 1830 and 1848 could be considered the social breakdowns for this Pluto in Aries period. These breakdowns are milder than the breakdowns in prior Pluto in Aries / Neptune in Aquarius periods.
Interestingly, the first computer and major advances in understanding of
electricity were discovered during this period which has been driving change
ever since (electricity for most of that time and computers for the last 50
years, at least, even if you just count electronic computers and not
calculating machines).
Summary: great scientific and mathematical discoveries.
Summary: Major religious reform, the start of the Protestant - Catholic
split king Henry VIII, major British king great works of art done (height of
Renaissance) Martin Luther created a revolution (Aquarius) in faith (Neptune)
-- he said that faith is more important than good works, that all are priests,
that the word of God (the bible) is the ultimate authority, etc Revolution in
vision (the earth circles the Sun rather than Earth being the center of the
Universe)
Summary: Pluto in Aries and the human tragedies (black death) has the added
contagious quality of a Pluto / Uranus conjunct. Religious tolerance is
exemplified by Boccacio.
Summary: changes in the balance of power in the Holy Land. Famous Kings.
Summary: famous kings, religious institutions initiated and revived. The
politcal reform and consolidation typical of Neptune in Aquarius and Pluto in
Sagittarius happens with King Olaf, Canute, Scotland, and the Salian Dynasty.
Summary: famous kings, musical innovation, manmade disasters (Pluto in
Aries)
Summary: religious and artistic innovations. Easter eggs are both a religious
and artistic innovation. Church buildings are artistic and religious and hence
fit into the Neptune in Aquarius innovations in art/nusic/religion framework.
Summary: Famous kings (king Arthur, Chosroes I) and religious orders
(Benedictine) founded are the highlights of this Neptune in Aquarius period.
The Benedictine order was the mainstay of Christianity through the dark ages.
The roll paintings are an example of artistic innovation typical of Neptune in
Aquarius. Political reform and consolidation happens through Justinian, king
Arthur.
Summary: Typical man-made disasters while Pluto in Aries (collapse of Roman
empire, Huns). Since scrolls were the main means for religious writings, the
transformation to books was a major innovation in religion.
Summary: Religous foundations laid.
Summary: Christianity had its founding (first church, St. Paul, etc) as an established religion during these years.
copyright 1993 - 2007 by Ed Rose