Returned to Aravaipa Canyon in Feb 2015 for a daylight hike. See story below…When Neptune opposes the Sun it marks the mid-point of Neptune’s Retrograde journey.

Neptune station retrograde on June 30 2023, at 27°Pisces 41′ and stations direct on December 06, 2023 at 24°Pisces 53′. AND is opposite the Sun on Sep 19 2023. (See Table Below)

Are you feeling confused and emotionally insecure due to the state of the world or the state of your own life?
Are you questioning your reality?
Are you feeling emotionally vulnerable?
Are you willing to be more compassionate toward yourself and others?

Neptune is retrograde for about 160 days every year and features Neptune opposite the Sun. Since Neptune is retrograde about 40% of the time it is less impactful than when the inner planets are retrograde. For example, Mars goes retrograde about every two years and is retrograde for about 4 months or about 15% of the time.

Venus on the other hand goes retrograde about every 19 months and is only retrograde for about 40 days. Of all the planets Venus is retrograde the least amount of time, just under 7% of the time.

Mercury is only retrograde for about 21 days at a time but goes retrograde at least 3 times a year so spends about 63 days of every year retrograde or about 17% of the time.

This helps us to see why the inner planet retrogrades tend to have a bigger impact, but that said any retrograde planet is an opportunity to go more deeply into its mysteries.

Seeing the Illusions and Dreaming New Dreams
Ideally when Neptune is retrograde we have an opportunity to go deeper into our illusions and see them more clearly because much of the outer world is making even less sense. Now of course this can also have the opposite affect and many get more committed to the illusions of the outer world, the brainwashing programs, the conditioning we have all been at the affect of, the misconceptions that are part of a larger control program that has been going on for eons of time.

This includes the lies perpetrated by those in charge. Think about the burning of heretics, witches and those who did NOT comply with the narrative being promoted by those in power and control as one example. It might also include the illusions we have about our beliefs, friends, family, other relationships, finances, life purpose or lack of purpose.

How we experience this time depends on how far we find ourselves from our inner truth and reality. We may have used addictions to escape facing realities we are afraid of facing? Addictions to food, drugs, alcohol, work, exercise, social media, or any other forms of escaping from who we have perceived ourselves to be are part of our current world conditioning and mass hypnosis.

OR it might be a time when we feel ourselves connecting even more deeply with out inner knowing that goes beyond logical, rational understanding. (See story below)

Are you using self-deception as a way to cope with what you have perceived is an unlivable reality?
Neptune has been linked with self-deception and victimization as a way to justify ones actions for covering up anxiety, fear, self-judgment, self-criticism, self-doubt and so on, due to feeling cut off from our divine source within.

For those who have the ability to choose it – this is an ideal time to dive more deeply into self-reflection as a path to spiritual understanding, including how everything within us is being reflected outside of us.

When we change what is within us, all that is around us changes. During Neptune Retrograde it is a perfect time to engage in practices that help you feel more connected to the divine source within you including: going on a spiritual retreat or engaging more consciously with healthy practices such as yoga, meditation, improving your diet and exercise regime, fasting from food, news, social media, and outside influences that affect your self-perception.

See Neptune Table with the Sun and Neptune Aspects along with Audios and PDF of Neptune Generations below…


Neptune is Opposite the Sun
(similar to a Full Moon effect illuminating what we most need to see) marking the mid-point of Neptune’s Retrograde journey.

When the Sun and Neptune are Square it is either just before Neptune stations retrograde or after Neptune goes direct. 

When the Sun and Neptune are conjunct (similar to a New Moon effect) Neptune is far from the Earth – opposite of the retrograde time when Neptune is close to the Earth though fully illuminated by the light of the Sun. (see table below)

When any planet is retrograde it is closer to the Earth amping up the energy of that planet taking us deeper into its archetypal mysteries – so Neptune is taking us deeper into our visions, dreams, and inner guidance. Neptune does NOT operate from logic or reason but rather from a place that may not make rational sense especially if we think about it too much.

Neptune (a Celestial World Guide and Initiator) operates beyond what makes sense from a Middle World perspective – so the challenge we often face with Neptune is to NOT talk ourselves out of that deep inexplicable inner knowing that can guide us to extraordinary experiences when we trust and act on that knowing.

Sometimes the action needed is to simply take the next step. We may not know where that step is leading us and that’s okay. It is about trust and faith in the process. Once the step is taken then usually the next step lights up.

See how the light of the Sun on the rocks in Aravaipa doesn’t get into the bottom of the canyon? Imagine the same with the Full Moon light only its also dark!

Personal Neptune Moment in the late 90’s

I often imagine Neptune as a teacher or guide is providing us with opportunities to navigate our lives without really knowing or seeing where we are going.

I literally had this experience years ago (when I was in a personal Neptune Cycle) trying to find my way out of a slot canyon (well at least parts of the canyon could be defined as a slot canyon) at night.

I was with a friend who had hiked in this canyon 100’s of times and it was my first time there. We had hiked in for about 2 hours while it was daylight and planned to hike out under the June Full Moon.

Two things I didn’t consider was the low tracking of the Capricorn Full Moon across the sky and the height of the canyon walls – because of course I had never been there before. This canyon followed a stream that required we criss-cross it and pick up the trail on the other side. Since we didn’t have as much Moon light as we thought we had to rely on our flashlights to find the trail on the other side. This meant we wound up doing a lot of bush whacking because many times we missed seeing where the trail picked up on the other side.

We had been hiking out for about 3 hours (maybe more) when suddenly I had this knowing that I couldn’t explain that we had to find the sign that would connect us to the trail leading out of the canyon to the parking lot. Otherwise we would wind up further down the canyon and would never find our way out.

Starlit night…Moonlight on the upper canyon wall…

Somehow I had this knowing – for no apparent reason – that the sign was straight ahead. My friend Shari was the expert having spent lots of time in this canyon backpacking, and doing day hikes etc and she was convinced the trail was off to the left of where we were. I had a fleeting thought she might know better than me. It was a perfectly rational logical thought because I had never been here before.

For some unknown reason to me, I decided to trust that deep inner knowing and kept walking straight ahead for about 800 yards and suddenly my flashlight lit up the sign to the parking lot.

My first thought was “I am having a Neptune Moment” because there was no logical way I could know I would find the sign. I simply followed my inner prompting and magically the sign showed up.

Following the Signs
Sometimes the signs are more subtle and not as visible in a Neptune process as I am describing here. In 2018 I was telling my daughter, who was in a Neptune cycle this story encouraging her to not talk herself out of any knowing that might occur for her. Literally the next morning she woke up with the thought to text a friend of hers who was also the manager of a place she wanted to work and let her know she was interested if they were ever hiring.

Her next thought was – oh it is such a great place to work they are never hiring I shouldn’t bother her. Then she remembered our conversation from the day before and decided to send the text. She got an immediate response back saying we are interviewing today can you come in at 2 pm? So my daughter went in for the interview and got the job that day! Another Neptune moment that was possible because she acted on her knowing.

I am imagining everyone reading this has had a knowing they didn’t act on and regretted later. I know I have. Or has had a knowing NOT to do something and took the action anyway and regretted later. I know I have.

The shadow side of Neptune expresses through confusion, uncertainty, illusions, loosing touch with reality, and what it really takes to manifest our dreams and desires in this dimension. This timing is one of the deepest, most inner-directed times for accessing our own “big picture” through inner processes. When we are in touch with our inner knowing, we know what steps are needed to fulfill our dreams.

Action Steps
Some helpful steps to consider: Be curious, open and willing. Ask questions, listen for answers, stay attuned to inner guidance, notice synchronicities and act on that deep inner knowing even if it makes no logical sense.

Questions to consider:
Do you have a vision you are ready to bring into manifestation?
If not, are you ready to receive the vision that is yours to receive and then ground it into this reality?
Are you ready for a deeper even more direct connection to Spirit?

Neptune Retrograde and Direct

Stations Retrograde                      Stations Direct
2023 Jun 20 at 27°Pisces 26′           Dec 06 at 24°Pisces 53′
2024 Jul 02 at 29°Pisces 55′            Dec 07 at 27°Pisces 07′
2025 Jul 04 at o2°Aries 10′              Dec 10 at 29°Pisces 22′
2026 Jul 07 at 04°Aries 25′              Dec 12 at o1°Aries 36′
2027 Jul 09 at o6°Aries 33′              Dec 15 at o3°Aries 51′
2028 Jul 11 at 08°Aries 54′               Dec 16 at o6°Aries 33′
2029 Jul 13 at 11°Aries 08′                Dec 19 at o8°Aries 19′
2030 Jul 16 at 13°Aries 22′               Dec 21 at 10°Aries 34′

Sun Neptune Aspects

Mar 13 2022 Sun 22°Pi52′ D  Conjunct Neptune 22°Pi52′ D 04:43 AM MST
Jun 16 2022 Sun 25°Ge24′ D  Square Neptune 25°Pi24′ D 06:41 AM MST
Sep 16 2022 Sun 24°Vi02′ D  Opposite Neptune 24°Pi02′ R 03:21 PM MST
Dec 14 2022 Sun 22°Sg41′ D  Square Neptune 22°Pi41′ D 10:10 AM MST

Mar 15 2023 Sun 25°Pi07′ D  Conjunct Neptune 25°Pi07′ D 04:39 PM MST
Jun 18 2023 Sun 27°Ge39′ D  Square Neptune 27°Pi39′ D 08:54 PM MST
Sep 19 2023 Sun 26°Vi16′ D  Opposite Neptune 26°Pi16′ R 04:17 AM MST
Dec 16 2023 Sun 24°Sg55′ D  Square Neptune 24°Pi55′ D 08:43 PM MST

Mar 17 2024 Sun 27°Pi22′ D  Conjunct Neptune 27°Pi22′ D 04:22 AM MST
Jun 20 2024 Sun 29°Ge54′ D  Square Neptune 29°Pi54′ D 11:12 AM MST
Sep 20 2024 Sun 28°Vi31′ D  Opposite Neptune 28°Pi31′ R 05:16 PM MST
Dec 18 2024 Sun 27°Sg10′ D  Square Neptune 27°Pi10′ D 07:28 AM MST

Mar 19 2025 Sun 29°Pi36′ D  Conjunct Neptune 29°Pi36′ D 04:25 PM MST
Jun 23 2025 Sun 02°Cn08′ D  Square Neptune 02°Ar08′ D 01:29 AM MST
Sep 23 2025 Sun 00°Li45′ D  Opposite Neptune 00°Ar45′ R 05:53 AM MST
Dec 20 2025 Sun 29°Sg24′ D  Square Neptune 29°Pi24′ D 06:02 PM MST

Mar 22 2026 Sun 01°Ar51′ D Conjunct Neptune 01°Ar51′ D 04:18 AM MST
Jun 25 2026 Sun 04°Cn23′ D Square Neptune 04°Ar23′ D 03:38 PM MST
Sep 25 2026 Sun 03°Li00′ D Opposite Neptune 03°Ar 00′ R 06:38 PM MST
Dec 23 2026 Sun 01°Cp39′ D Square Neptune 01°Ar39′ D 04:37 AM MST

Mar 24 2027 Sun 04°Ar05′ D Conjunct Neptune 04°Ar05′ D 04:12 PM MST
Jun 28 2027 Sun 06°Cn37′ D Square Neptune 06°Ar37′ D 05:50 AM MST
Sep 28 2027 Sun 05°Li14′ D Opposite Neptune 05°Ar14′ R 07:18 AM MST
Dec 25 2027 Sun 03°Cp53′ D Square Neptune 03°Ar53′ D 03:12 PM MST

Mar 26 2028 Sun 06°Ar19′ D Conjunc tNeptune 06°Ar19′ D 04:15 AM MST
Jun 29 2028 Sun 08°Cn52′ D Square Neptune 08°Ar52′ D 08:00 PM MST
Sep 29 2028 Sun 07°Li29′ D Opposite Neptune 07°Ar29′ R 07:48 PM MST
Dec 27 2028 Sun 06°Cp07′ D Square Neptune 06°Ar07′ D 01:36 AM MST

Mar 28 2029 Sun 08°Ar34′ D Conjunc tNeptun e08°Ar34′ D04:25 PM MST
Jul 02 2029 Sun 11°Cn06′ D Square Neptune 11°Ar06′ D10:20 AM MST
Oct 02 2029 Sun 09°Li43′ D Opposite Neptune 09°Ar43′ R08:24 AM MST
Dec 29 2029 Sun 08°Cp22′ D Square Neptune 08°Ar22′ D12:17 PM MST
Mar 31 2030 Sun 10°Ar48′ D Conjunct Neptune 10°Ar48′ D04:38 AM MST
Jul 05 2030 Sun 13°Cn21′ D Square Neptune 13°Ar21′ D12:20 AM MST

 

PDF tables to locate your Neptune Generation and what degrees Neptune is traveling over the next 14 years Neptune Generations from 1901 to 2025

Neptune Overview - 12 minutes

by Cayelin K Castell

Neptune in Pisces - 14 minutes

by Cayelin K Castell