Expert: Zane B Stein - 9/24/2007

Question
Hi Zane,

Neptune is strong in my chart with it conjunct the Asc. in Scorpio via, barely, the 12th.  It rules the 5th and is conjunct Venus the ruler of the 7th/12th.  Anyway, Neptune is transiting back and forth over my IC at this time and is comfortably sextiling Moon in the 5th/6th cusp and sextiling Mercury in the 2nd...but what I really want to know is what is the significance of Neptune crossing the IC and entering the 4th, along with, it is opposing Mars in Leo at 22 degrees conjunct the MC via 10th?  How to strengthen this pending transit?  December 7, 1962, Tampa, FL.

I am all about trying to understand and strenghten myself.  I also understand potentials and probabilities.  Blind as a bat!

Thank you so much for any insights.

Growing, learning, and evolving,
Laurie

Answer
Hi, Laurie,

As you may have read in my profile, I don't answer individual chart questions on this forum, only questions about astrology itself.

However, I will be happy to give you some insight into the nature of Neptune's transit.

Neptune is a slow-moving body. Because its orbit is about 164 years, any aspect it makes is not so much a specific event, as a long-range transformation. When it begins to enter a house-cusp, it marks the beginning of a transition that last more than a decade.

I really like the way the cafeastrology website gives an overview of the Neptune transit:
"How Neptune affects our lives depends very much on whether we resist its influences or we try to work with the planet of illusion and spirituality. It is common for Neptune's influence to be a confusing one in the first portion of the transit. The ultimate "lesson" of Neptune is to help connect us to the world of the intangible. This is in stark contrast to Saturn's transits, which re-connect us to the tangible, material world.

"Whichever part of our lives and of our psyches that Neptune touches, especially by hard transit, is an area where we may feel "up in the air" and confused in the initial stages of the transit. Boundaries are not as clear,  commitments are elusive, and perception is confused....

"As the transit progresses, and certainly by the time it is over, we should have a more refined understanding in the affected areas of lives. What begins as confusion can eventually actually augment our perception and our understanding. Sometimes people experience a burnout of sorts that eventually leads them to take a different path--often a more spiritually rewarding and fulfilling one. Neptune acts to dissolve what it touches."

So let's apply this to the IC (and, because of opposition), to the 10th house.

The IC is the doorway to the 4th house. This is the house of
one's roots, family background, the home one grew up in, and  
the parental influence as it applied to home, security, and family-life. As an adult, this is your home-base, your foundation, what you draw upon in your background for support, any roots you set down personally. Its relationship to the MC (Midheaven) is as the foundation you stand on to seek your career, and the past you draw upon as you work to build a future.

Neptune dissolves.  But it doesn't dissolve just to be malicious. It dissolves things that are keeping you from being able to see, and be a part of, a larger picture. Frequently, there is a disenchantment with the status quo, because you seek something that will have much greater meaning in your life. But it can be scary if you try to hold
on to things that are safe, secure....the tighter you hold on, the more it can seem like you are grabbing on to sand.
Or it may seem as though the ground beneath you has turned to sand at times, no longer solid.

To the point...Neptune entering the 4th house marks a period
of letting go of anything in your past that keeps you from being a part of something larger, something with a deeper purpose. The more you are willing to go with the flow, so to
speak...the more you are willing to accept that you are part  
of a much larger world/universe than you allowed yourself to  feel secure in before....the more you can take advantage of the positive aspects of this transit.

Positive aspects include a deeper sense of purpose, a feeling of being connected to all humanity, and a detachment from the material world. Added bonuses may include increased
psychic abilities and the ability to feel at home anywhere.  Dangers include being hyper-sensitive, and over-imaginative to the point of fantasies/delusions.

Adding the opposition to Mars, and during this part of the transit you would best be warned that you own abilities to known who to trust may not be as reliable as you think they are. Be careful not to allow yourself to be pulled or talked  
into any type of bogus activities, examine carefully all seeming opportunities, and it would be wise to steer clear of anything that is high-risk. And be sure you, yourself, don't perpetrate anything that is not completely ethical.

Because Mars is the blood in your body, and the muscles, make sure you watch your health for anything that can weaken
either. Be sure you are getting enough iron so you do not get anemic, for example. The odds are you will tend to be more tired during the opposition to Mars than normally, so also make sure you do not allow yourself to get rundown...get enough vitamins, get regular checkups.  
And avoid all recreational drugs. If the doctor prescribes anything for you during this time, make sure you take it as
prescribed, and keep in touch with the doctor to monitor the
results.
Many people go through a bit of emotional chaos when Neptune
opposes Mars, which can at times stir up feelings of unsureness in yourself, maybe even lack of self-confidence.
Be aware that this transit is temporary, and after it passes you will actually be stronger, more able to use your abilities than you ever were before. So if you are tired, or
have less energy, know that this will pass.

I hope that has helped some.
Best wishes,
Zane