Neptune in Aries

Fighting For and Defending Ideals

Neptune moves into Aries! For the next 14 years, the planet of universal love, imagination and ideals now flows through the sign of courage, action and aggression. Neptune in Aries challenges us to aspire to our best self, without completely deluding ourselves about what that is. As a bonus, Saturn is conjunct Neptune as they leap together into Aries.

Knowledge kills action; action requires the veils of illusion.
~ Friedrich Nietzsche, The Birth of Tragedy.

Neptune is in Aries briefly from March 30 to Oct. 22, 2025, then resumes from Jan. 26, 2026 until May 22, 2038, with a final visit from Oct. 21, 2038 to March 23, 2039. After leaving Aries in 2039, it will be 2188-2203 before Neptune is in Aries again.

In past centuries, Neptune in Aries often saw combat and violence in pursuit of what was believed to be a superior, righteous purpose. An extreme example when Neptune was last there (1861-1875) was the American Civil War (1861-1865). The end of slavery was seen to justify years of horrific war that divided families and radically different human values colliding with each other.

During 1697-1712, Neptune helped facilitate the Age of Enlightenment and Reason, when the divine authority of kings and churches was questioned. A more secular philosophy was evolving that considered an individual's natural and absolute right to freedom, yet ironically occurred alongside the expansion of the Atlantic Slave Trade.

Prior to that in 1533-1548, England's King Henry VIII broke from Rome and set himself up as the head of the new Church of England. In general, Neptune in Aries seems to inspire a struggle for a higher, righteous ideal that wrestles with the question of societal and individual freedoms.

Fast forward to today in the 21st century. The next 14 years is a time when, individually and collectively, we may feel driven to take action toward manifesting a noble or righteous cause, seeking to break free of perceived oppression. This is likely to be especially vivid at times when Neptune makes major aspects to your natal chart or the chart of a country, business, etc. (especially by conjunction, opposition or square).

Aries is in part about fighting and defending; standing up for something. Aries has to do with the self, autonomy, independence, freedom, and spontaneous impulses. Neptune, on the other hand, is about universal love, being part of a larger whole, aligning yourself with a Higher Power or Something Greater Than Yourself.

On the down side, being such different energies, this planet-sign combination may lead to surprising or confusing results. It can be easy to believe passionately in a virtuous principle, outcome or aspiration, but then find out it isn't quite what you thought it was. It is wise to question motives and actions, both your own and others' – there's almost always more to the story, for better or worse.

Another possible down side is that a nebulized Aries energy could lapse into lack of focus, inertia, hopelessness, or helplessness. You may not know how to fight back against something that seems inevitable or overwhelming.

On the other hand, Neptune's go-with-the-flow energy and ability to see the upside of a situation or person can help you move past an obstacle or inhibition. It may become easier to believe a fantasy of hope that results in victory or success. Reality, whatever it is, will have to be dealt with at some point, but in the meantime just getting over the hump could enable you to get un-stuck. Even a dubious belief in the best case scenario can be powerful!

Another up side is that you may be inspired to fight for or defend a higher principle or vision. Rather than surrender to what seems like a hopeless situation, you could beicome strongly motivated to do what you can to create a better outcome.

Neptune in Aries is a 14-year transit. It is a time to explore the ideals, dreams and longing that you embrace, especially in terms of freedom and philosophy. Are you truly living up to those beliefs, and if not then what is holding you back? Could you be doubting their validity? Do you wonder if you're just tilting at windmills rather than fighting the good fight? Or maybe you're struggling with self-doubt and feeling unequal to the task?

This can also be a time to question the authority and ideologies that you follow, both inside and outside you. Do they truly serve a higher, more universal principle? Or are they merely a convenient way to justify your self-serving interests? This is a time to reach down inside yourself and find the courage and drive to face and follow what you consider to be honestly important on a spiritual, meaningful level.

Bonus! Saturn and Neptune leap into Aries more or less together in 2025-2026. In addition, the one exact pass of Saturn conjunct Neptune happens at 0 degrees of Aries! This is a very powerful point that begins a long-term cycle of archetypal evolution and manifestation. They are exactly conjunct on Feb. 20, 2026, but they make two near-passes within about 3 degrees from May-October 2025 and from January-March 2026.

Saturn takes Neptune's idealism, imagination, and longing for perfection, and attempts to manifests it. This can embrace the best of Neptune: compassion, beauty, sacrifice for a greater good, and universal love. Or it could open the door to the worst of Neptune: deception, illusion, glamour, or hypocrisy. Neptune in Aries is the energy of "be careful what you wish for, you might get it."

Martha: Truth or illusion, George; you don't know the difference.

George: No, but we must carry on as though we did.

Martha: Amen.
~ Edward Albee, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?