Mercury in Harsh Aspect to Uranus: Not Crazy, Just Overstimulated

I'm bored. Let's browse the internet. Oh! What's this? There are 50,000 species on the planet?? I didn't know that! Let's browse through the comments.... hmmm.. let's see what Karen has to say.

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What the actual fuck. People are idiots. Let's see who texted me! (50 unread messages) Whoops.. maybe later. Seems like a good time for a snack (makes sandwich) Hmmm, but take out sounds so good right now (puts sandwich away).

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If I could only find my shoes! (Phones rings) Ughhhh, who's calling me?? Oh shit.. that was today?! FUCK. (Sits and silence and begins to worry)

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5 minutes later

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10 minutes later

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Where the hell are my shoes?

If you were able to make it through that segment without feeling an ounce of irritation, congratulations! You might have Mercury (or a personal planet) in harsh aspect to Uranus. This sort chaos and dysfunction can very well be considered a norm when the quick, youthful, and agile planet of Mercury comes into contact with the impulsive, exploratory, and witty planet of Uranus. 

Harsh aspects, such as the Square, Opposition, and sometimes the Conjunction, can create a mental climate that is rapidly changing, causing a native to appear flighty, restless, and even tormented at times. 

These natives love to stay occupied and may even have difficulty sitting still. If you observe those with this placement closely, it can appear as if there is a bit of a nervous tick to their nature when sitting idle for too long. These natives can be so restless that they can go as far as jumping from activity to activity in order to avoid spending too much time in the quiet. 

On one hand, those with Mercury in harsh aspect to Uranus can appear unique and eccentric. It is likely that these natives have a unique taste in art and music and may take pleasure in discovering artist that are less commonly known to the public. These natives can become so attached to their new discoveries that they can even grow defensive and possessive if the artist happens to become more popular and well liked over time, causing them to defend their loyalty to the artist while subconsciously testing new fans for signs of flakiness. 

The issue here is that instead of looking for public harmony and unity (as those with softer aspects like the trine and sextile might search for), these natives look for every way possible to stand out and make a difference. Unfortunately, there may be a tendency to rebel for the sake of wanting to be different, causing the native to garner a "Rebel Without a Cause" status. There is also a possibility that the siblings as well as the close relatives of the native have a wacky or "off" nature to them, possibly possessing a strong Uranus within the likes of their own natal charts. The close relatives could have aided in reassuring the native that nothing was wrong with them while possibly implanting the ideology that the rest of the world is "off" instead.

With Mercury in harsh aspect to Uranus, we can also find a scandalous character. The native will fantasize about becoming famous and well known in attempt to make up for years of being doubted and misunderstood. An ingrained inferiority complex can cause the native to even take pride in being an "outcast" or "leader" in attempt to mask the deep feelings of rejection that the native may have experienced, especially during childhood. 

As a result, there can come a time where the native cannot quiet the mind and will eventually grow to feel overstimulated. At this point, a few things can happen: The native can become so irritated by the noisiness of the mind that they become visibly paranoid, irritable, and withdrawn from society. In this state, the native may even attempt to seek psychiatric treatment or even be pressured into being evaluated. On the Other hand, the native can become a loner and engage in activities that may be perceived as whacky, further serving to isolate the native from the rest of society. Regardless, the isolation will serve as a vital period in the natives life, working as a catalyst for growth as they learn to develop true self esteem and personal resilience. 

When the native can become self actualized, they will find that not much can sink their ship anymore. They will begin to see possibilities where they once saw road blocks. They will pave way for the true misfits and outcasts of society. They will challenge outdated theories while making way for revolutionary ideas. And most importantly, they will no longer seek validation from peers and family, causing them to become the fit leaders they desired to be all along. 

The Astrological Family System

Astrology is a wonderful tool for better understanding family dynamics. The planets and houses paint a vivid picture of the personality traits, characteristics, and mannerisms of the lovely (or not so lovely) people we call family! Through our natal chart, we can also see our relationship with family by closely studying how each planet interacts with one another as well as with each house. Our connection with our children (future children) can also be seen through the likes of our natal charts, leaving us with even more opportunity to become our best selves possible. 

Dysfunctional families are one of my favorite topics of study. Often times, those born into such families feel hopeless, desperate for answers, and future-less, altogether. What better than astrology to provide such people with purpose, confidence, and faith in their limitless potential. 

Harmonious families, which do happen to exist, can also be seen. I find those with strong moon/4th house signatures often find pleasure in tracing their family history back to the furthest root possible. Understanding the dynamics which occurred before us can further ignite our sens of purpose while filling us with a dignified pride and willingness to carry on our family's legacy. 

The nuclear family can be identified through the sign, house, and aspects of the sun, the moon, mercury, and saturn (the traditional symbol of the father figure). The ascendant, third house, IC, 4th house, and 10th house can give us insight on the nature of our biological families. Though not much research has been done on those who have been adopted, it is believed that foster parents as well as grandparents can be identified through the 11th house.  

Take, for example, Beyonce. Her mercury (the planet ruling siblings) and her saturn (traditional ruler representing the father figure) are in Libra in the 12th house. This is ironic being that libra is ruled by venus (art) and both Solange and Mathew have been highly involved in Beyonce's music career. We can't forget about the 12th houses tendency to reveal to us hidden enemies. With Saturn in the 12th house, we see a father who may be self-serving. This was evident being that Beyonce admitted to having her career controlled by her father and struggling to create an identity separate from him and his ideals. Beyonce even went as far as separating from his management and going solo in attempt to find true artistic freedom (Libra in 12th). Luckily enough, Beyonce also has her Jupiter in 12th, making for a smooth transition. Having access to interviews, public statements, and a few instances of family drama make it easier to verify the message the natal chart reveals about her family dynamics. This goes to show that background information can help us to fully understand the full story rather than trying to put together a sum of parts. 

Another similar example would be Marilyn Monroe. Though Marilyn is well known for her sex appeal and artistic capabilities, her traumatic family history is less known to the public. Marilyn's saturn (also signifying hardship and restriction) is in her 4th house of family. This is significant being that Marilyn was abandoned by her mother at a young age and put into a children's group home. Marilyn's mother was known to struggle with her mental health and would often have various and intense psychotic breaks. Marilyn's moon is in Aquarius (coldness from the mother) and in an opposition with Neptune (mental illness). Again, without background information, it would be difficult to put the pieces together. But as astrologers, it is not our duty to play psychic. We must use the information readily available to us to instill hope, confidence, and purpose within our clients, helping to bring them closer to their destiny (North Node). 

Understanding the role our family has played in our destiny can help us to forgive faulty actions, heal from childhood wounds, and walk with confidence towards creating our own families. Never under estimate the power of digging deep into you roots. 

The Neptunian Relationship: "Who you settling for, who better for you than the boy?"

How attractive is it, to have a world where no wrong can be done, and to share this world with someone you love more than life itself? You are the apple of someone's eye and they, in turn, are yours. You share cherished memories, untold secrets, and hidden exchanges of love on top of a hidden roof top at 3 am in the morning over a bottle of wine. This is it. You've found the love of your life, and you are willing to sacrifice independence, money, boundaries, and stability for this love to last. At first, the two of  you find pleasure in watching one another make sacrifices for the sake of the relationship. These exchanges prove just how committed the each of you are to one another. You are now ready to move in with each other, or get married, or do whatever your pretty hearts desire next. 

But something feels off. Maybe one of you is carrying an extreme amount of debt and poor credit while unemployed. Maybe one of you has a history of depression or mood instability without seeking treatment. Regardless, you both feel that your love is strong enough to conquer all obstacles. Ignoring the red flags, you proceed to move in, or get married, or get that matching tattoo. Whatever you two decide to do next is often irreversible and soul binding. 

Now that you've managed to finagle your way to the next step (whether or not there is a stable foundation supporting the relationship to begin with) there is an extreme moment of bliss. Everything in the world becomes perfect. Maybe you're smiling a little more. Maybe you're loving a little more. Maybe your boss isn't getting on your nerves as much as they used to. Or maybe you're feeling brand new and ready to revive a failed relationship with a friend or family member. You are on a high, on a roll, and no one can take you down from this mountain. No one except the one that you love and cherish so much. That's right, your knight in shining armor is holding the Kryptonite. And you are so high on this mountain that you mistake it for Jewels.  

With a Neptunian relationship, there is no one to burst your bubble and ground you with unpleasant reality (Saturn). There are no rules, and anything goes. This infinite world full of possibilities soon becomes an addiction. And when the drug vanishes, so does your sense of self. These relationships are not all bad. In fact, they're quite the opposite. They are often too good to be true. The person of interest is seen as your ideal lover, and all sense of logic and self protection are thrown out the door in hopes of building and maintaining this fairy tale relationship. There will often be a fated feeling or twin flame like connection between you and bae. There might be a runner/chaser dynamic going on where the Neptune person runs when they feel like their true self is in jeopardy of being discovered, and the planet person chases the Neptune person with promises of unconditional love. 

If you or your partner have heavy Neptune themes (Stellium in 12th house or Pisces, Neptune conjunctions, squares, and oppositions) when the two of you come together, there will be a stream of fog pulling you far away from reality. Often times, there will be a person who plays the role of the Neptune person as their Neptune will make significant aspects to your personal planets . Other times, you or even the both of you will play the role of Neptune (especially if you both naturally have heavy Neptune signatures). It is a bit easier when both people play the role of Neptune because then no one will truly have an upper hand over the other. However, when one person is playing the role of Neptune, the planet person is destined to experience one of the most profound heartbreaks of their life. The Neptune person will, unintentionally, morph into the person you want them to be and hide the very parts of themselves that may turn you off. The issue with this is that those hidden parts are very much alive and well and often find different means of expressing themselves, though rather indirectly. 

Let's say that the 3 am roof top date was the kick start of your relationship with the Neptune person. And now, a year into the relationship, the two of you are re-enacting the date, except this time, you ditch the wine for two bottles of whiskey. Charmed by the romantic gesture, you fail to see your partner's increased  alcohol consumption. Or maybe you have steadily increased your alcohol consumption in order to better bond with them. And now, you've gone from a light weight who can stretch one glass of wine throughout an entire night, to a binge drinker. Doing drugs and alcohol together is a common theme found within many Neptunian pairs. Neptune, the drunken planet, has a way of seducing its captives into a state of delirium. However, Neptunian relationships don't only involve substance abuse. With Neptunian relationships, boundaries begin to vanish over time. Say you are a typically rigid person who tends to have the highest of standards and the shortest fuse. All of a sudden, you meet your knight in shining armor and you are letting the very things you used to advocate for slide right before your eyes. You hate slobs and messy people but find it cute when your Neptune bae takes you to their studio apartment with clothes all over the floor because the mess is good for their "artwork". Or maybe you're an introvert who prefers to spend much of your time alone and suddenly your Neptune bae is influencing you to go clubbing with them every weekend. You notice your leniency towards this person, but you find it attractive. You feel as if they are pulling you out of your comfort zone and showing you a whole new world. And perhaps they are. But this person is also not showing you their full potential quite yet. They are gradually exposing you to uncomfortable circumstance until you become malleable. They are slowly pulling you out of your own beliefs and values and getting you to adapt to their's. You do not realize this process is happening until it's too late. Maybe you drop by Neptune bae's little artsy studio for the weekend and notice that you can barely walk around the place with so much mess and there is no food in the fridge. Maybe one night, you decide you could use a break from all the socializing and stay in from the club, while Neptune bae eagerly rushes out the house without you. You reach a point where you notice that your values are not in sync, and this person has no interest in truly adapting to you. Only in throwing enough fog over the differences that you fail to notice them for a prolonged period of time. 

The Neptune person tends to have the upperhand in these kinds of partnerships because they can see the planet person a bit more clearly. The Neptune person is able to identify the wants and needs of the planet person and provide them while hiding what they do not wish to share. The planet person is often susceptible to being deceived or mislead, not due to the malice of the Neptune person, but because the fog is just far too thick to see clearly enough. I would like to clarify that the Neptune person is not at fault. Given the chance, almost anyone would take advantage of the opportunity to hide the ugliest parts of themselves in hopes of maintaining a perfect love. However, the planet person is no victim either. Often times, this deceit is possible to detect. There are moments in which the fog clears and clues are revealed to the planet person. But more often than not, the planet person chooses to deny what they witness and run back to their fairy tale. This is where the addiction comes in. The two parties are addicted to this false reality they have created with one another, and are willing to sweep anything and everything under the rug to maintain that high. 

Most relationships consist of arguments and disagreements as well as compromise and sacrifice over time. However, Neptune relationships work in a backwards manner. these natives tend to maintain a period of bliss for weeks, months, and even years. It is when the mask slips off and the fog clears that the arguments and bickering begins. However, this stage of the relationship is often so delayed that there is often too much shit pent up to properly work through. This can become so overwhelming that the couple will either: 1.)escape back into the fantasy and continue sweeping things under the rug or 2.) Get into a heated argument that is often so intense that the relationship will likely end abruptly. 

If you are playing the role of the Neptune person, you will notice that the planet person idealizes you. They see you as "all good" and give you confidence with their one sided view of you. You might intuitively understand that they are not seeing the whole picture clearly, but perhaps you feel that if they learned the truth, they would not feel the same way about you. Maybe you also have a tendency to deny the parts of yourself you do not like, and maybe you expect your partner to play along with you. Either way, you understand your power over this person, and you are often so enamored with the person in return that you do everything to protect the relationship. However, there will come a time where you will feel lonely. There will come a time where you will be tired of keeping up appearances and just want to be yourself already. However, you will most likely handle your frustrations indirectly. Yes, indirectly as in through means of escape. You will try and escape the reality of the condition of the relationship while trying on hang on to the person. Whether you engage in an affair with someone who can accept the hidden part of yourself, or resort to using substances to cope with these repressed feelings. You will do everything in your power to not ruin things. But more often than not, the pressure will break you, because you are only human in the end. You may run away from the relationship because you are tired of having to baby the planet person. You may suddenly choose to clear the fog yourself and end the relationship. More often than not, the fate of the relationship will be up to you. But due to the  passivity of Neptune, it is also likely that you will also try to make this person fall out of love with you by showing them the colors that they might not want to see. Neptune is good at getting others to leave because doing the leaving is often too painful of a decision to make. 

Now, if both people are playing neptune and planet roles, this dynamic can get a lot more interesting. A lot of projection will occur and there will be many psychic moments between the two of you. Maybe whenever you think about the person, they suddenly call (and vice versa). You both will intuitively understand the emotions of one another and look after each other as a result. This relationship is a bit more blissful than the one-sided Neptune relationship because there is a possibility of achieving enlightenment alongside one another and the values of one another are often aligned. The fog usually lasts throughout the course of the relationship as you both will happily slip things under the rug pursuing to embrace love rather than to acknowledge flaw. The issue with this relationship is that you guys will be the death of one another. Think of John Legend and Yoko Ono, a very famous relationship. John would have Yoko travel with him and even sit in on studio sessions to the point where it would annoy the other band members. The two would often get lost in drugs and music festivals and even created peaceful protests and revolutions together. The relationship wasn't always healthy, but they chose to see the best in one another and stayed together until John's passing. This is the epitome of a balanced Neptune within a relationship. 

If a Neptunian relationship has to come to an end, which it often does, there is a feeling of soul loss that can occur between one or both parties. The drug has been taken away from the abuser and there will be a itch to get high again. Whether through re-entering the relationship sometime down the road, or finding someone who can help you re-enact this dance. Either way, it will take a while to sober up after such a relationship occurs and the person may linger in your heart for a very long time, if not forever. You will always have a weakness for your Neptune bae, even if you both decide to remain separated for the rest of your lives. In a sense, to you, this person will be the one who got away.

Neptunian Denial: "Who Wants to Play the Blame Game?"

My past relationships have been the muse behind my creativity. Stormy ups and downs, silent treatments, and heartfelt apologies are only but a few words that can be used to describe the stormy sea's I've once sailed. If anyone were to ask me the cause of these failed relationships a few years ago, I would be sure to have a phone book worth of victim like ideologies and excuses. "He was abusive!", "She was mentally ill!", "These transits are fucking me up lately.", you name it! Excuses could have been my middle name. It was not until very recently that I was forced to examine my own behaviors and thought patterns that could be leading to these treacherous outcomes without displacing the blame onto the most readily available victim  partner. Looking back, I now realize that I was doing everything in my power to escape my own truth.

Pisces: two fish swimming in opposite directions. The objective: trying to get the two fish to meet. The challenge: remaining afloat when taking a trip to the dark side and remaining balanced when basking in the light.  Light comes easy to the fish. It's the darkness that must become welcomed and equally accepted. A Neptunian's inability to accept the Yin energy leads to extreme bouts of frustration, rage, and in severe cases, depression. Due to this fear of "the void", Neptunians deeply struggle with self identity. There is always a puzzle piece missing, as the picture is seldom whole through the fishy's eyes. Some Neptunians will choose to foucs on their better qualities, whether it be their selflessness, attention to detail, generosity, or unconditional loving style. It is when you ask a Neptunian to look at their flaws that the mind games begin. Pay attention to the mood's of the fish. Though there may be difficulty in voicing thoughts and feelings, mood swings can paint a more vivid picture than scatter-brained conversation could. The fish will often retreat into isolation, emotionally detach, or seek an emotional escape through unhealthy outlets when asked to confront their yin energy. What the fish is really looking for is instant gratification and validation that the pure and wholesome images once used to describe the self are still potent and true. 

Struggling to accept reality is a very natural and healthy part of the human experience. It is when the struggle leads to escapism and denial that a real problem presents itself. Tragedy, pain, and trauma are experiences that all humans are subject to. But when Neptune refuses to accept life's uglier moments, a bigger shadow is only projected onto the world. The funny thing about Neptune is that is has the power to be a great healer, but also a great enemy to mankind. The reality is that Neptune is too abstract to deal with real world phenomenon such as accountability, responsibility, and structure. When these rules are places upon Neptune's boundless waters, the planet begins to sink. For this reason, fish will do everything to stay afloat, whether that be engaging in endless fantasy, role play, or flat out rejection of the truth. 

 Though frustrating to the more logical and internally organized counterparts of the collective, all hope is not lost. If ever put in a situation, with a Neptunian, in which accountability and responsibility must be dished out, practice exchanging ideas rather than giving orders. At the end of the day, Neptune is a collaborative planet that seeks to promote peace and harmony on planet earth. As a source that thoroughly enjoys spreading bouts of yang energy through a given environment, we must help our fellow friends in accepting the yin. We would not throw a child on the street and expect them to fend for themselves. So when dealing with more fragile beings, it is important to practice patience, understanding, and compassion. These actions alone are guaranteed to breed more satisfying results from our fishy pals. 

I AM SLOWLY LOSING MY MIND.  .   .   .

The Astrology of Mental Illness

Starring: Neptune

 With mental illness, there is an unpredictability (hey uranus!) to its nature that could leave people on edge. We can drive ourselves mad trying to figure out when our mental illness (or the illness' of our loved ones) are going to act out again. Contrary to what pop culture and self help books teach us, we are not ALWAYS in control of our lives (how's it going neptune?). This holds true especially for those with mental illness. 

At 17 years old, I entered a passionate relationship with a sagg sun and pisces moon native. The relationship was everything I hoped for in life. That is, until I found out the individual was a schizophrenic. At 17 years old, I had no real understanding of what loving a person with schizophrenia would truly entail. But two years down the line when I found myself side by side with this person in a psych ward, I realized just how quickly the tables had turned. My circumstances only motivated me to use my love for astrology combined with my love for psychology in attempt to better understand how a person's chart could influence their mental health. After years of examining/conducting case studies, I could no longer deny the role Neptune plays on mental illness. 

I have noticed an alarming amount of mercury-neptune and moon-neptune afflictions when observing the charts of mentally ill individuals. My ex just happened to have moon in pisces semisquare neptune while a good friend of mine with moon in pisces conjunct saturn suffers from chronic depression. However, these findings are not unusual. The moon is a very sensitive point as it rules our subconscious. Our mind is sensitive as it is responsible for our overall functioning. When these two sensitive points conflict with our Neptune (collective unconscious) we often find indications of mental illness. However, these findings are some what generic in nature and cannot truly explain the complexity of mental illness alone. 

Sun and Ascendant in harsh aspect to Neptune can cause chronically low self esteem as well as confusion in regards to the self. This confusion is often painful to the point that the native may feel a need to escape through codependent relationships, drugs and alcohol, and possibly even choose the low road of manipulating others for protection and resources. This is mainly because the individual does not believe that they have the proper tools necessary to become self sufficient, yet is fearful of depending on others leading to deceitful and toxic tendencies. 

Neptunians and Pisceans with earth and air moons (particularly aquarius and capricorn) can be susceptible to antisocial tendencies as the feeling center that helps us relate to others (moon=empathy) is in detriment. When neptune is restricted (earth/air moon) from feeling the empathy and compassion that comes most naturally to it, panic can occur within the native. This is because the person is being withheld from being able to express any of their energies fully and may be in constant battle with themselves internally. Imagine being trapped in a boxed room with no doors and windows and the only option left would be to walk from corner to corner, wall to wall, until your energy is depleted. These natives hold themselves in a prison because they cannot outwardly express themselves properly, causing long term feelings of unworthiness followed by a possible inferiority complex. In turn, this prison can cause these natives to go into self preservation mode and become extremely self indulgent in attempts to survive. This will often be interpreted as having antisocial, borderline, or narcissistic traits.  

The most unusual finding I've encountered is a strong 12th house presence. In my opinion, natives with a lot of personal planets in the 12th house are prone to the most lethal of mental illnesses. This is because the 12th house sets the tone for mental illness to occur (isolation, lack of awareness, lack of discipline, victimization, and access to the astral/spiritual realm). When a person has a 12th house stellium, or even luminaries in the 12th, the native does not have the ability to fully understand their own motivations in life. This person is an absolute mystery to themselves and happens to disassociate from reality much of the time due to chronic confusion. Mental illness is the act of losing touch with reality, and this is exactly what 12th house is great at! Unless the native has a strong saturn/earth presence in their chart to help keep them grounded, they are likely to suffer in silence to the miserable end. On the other hand, 12th house natives are often the kindest of neptunians as they have often dedicate most of their time to helping/serving others.They are often selfless as turning inward can be uncomfortable process. So often times, helping others can serve as a valuable escape from the self. 

Lastly, I would like to talk about mars in harsh aspect to neptune. Mars is our ego drive. Because of mars, we have the will to live. We need our mars to motivate us to get up in the morning, go to work, and survive. When we think of fight or flight, we are thinking of mars. A debilitated mars will more often than not choose flight over fight. An exalted mars will always be ready for battle. However, when neptune (the planet of the illusion of self and others) aspects mars (especially in harsh aspect) the individual becomes confused about their path. They will struggle to know what they truly want out of life and will often depend on others for direction. This placement causes the most confusion as it distorts direction. Imagine walking in the woods and suddenly being surrounded by thick fog. The road is no longer clear to you and you are forced to become dependent on others to ensure your own survival. The problem is, when you are dependent on others, you are susceptible to become used, abused, and manipulated. Unfortunately, due to this dependency, mars-neptune individuals are susceptible to a life time of abuse starting from childhood. This often creates a cycle that neptune-mars individuals must learn to break free of. Sadly, this placement can be a heavy indicator of suicide as it often leads to suicidal attempts and ideation, especially if the native no longer has the will (mars) to survive (affliction). 

Moon Conjunct Neptune: The Clairvoyant

As a lover and educator of planet Neptune, there is nothing I love more than to talk about Neptune's influence on the occult arts. There is no denying Neptune's role in manifesting celestial phenomenon. However, there is one placement in particular that has astounding psychic potential, and that is Moon in conjunction with planet Neptune. This fragile placement can only truly be mastered once it is fully understood. Let's explore!

La Lune ⥏

The Moon, ruling the sign of cancer, is one of the most important planets in regards to spirituality. Only through the Moon can we access the super conscious realm. We are often granted access to this realm through sleep and astral projection. However, those with well developed Pineal Glands can access the super conscious realms at any point in time. Though the sign placement of the Moon is fairly important in determining the archetype of psychic ability one may experience, the house placement is of utmost importance. Water moon's (Pisces, Cancer, Scorpio) will have an easier time navigating through the super conscious realm. However, water houses (4th, 8th, and 12th) will serve as a channel to guide the Moon through the realm of conscious activity. 

Neptune ⥺

Neptune, the ruling planet of Pisces, also plays a large role in psychic ability. Neptune rules the collective unconscious, and serves as a channel between the spirit world and earth. Neptune in water sign placements can feel quite at ease and comfortable with the unknown. However, Neptune in the water houses may feel especially familiar with the spirit world and the occult. 

The Divine Connection ⤘⧪

Though Neptune and the Moon are already powerful sources on their own, they create a dynamic duo once they come together. In particularly when they are conjoined. The conjunction is the most powerful of psychic energies. Think of Neptune as being one person only to discover that the Moon is its conjoined twin. Now everything Neptune consumes, the moon consumes as well. They are no longer separate entities. They have become one, they are conjoined. They always say that two heads are better than one, and that is exactly the case when the Moon is in conjunction with Neptune. Now, conjunctions are often known to be 5 degrees (or less). But when a planet is in conjunction with a Luminary (Sun, Moon, or Ascendant), a wider orb (up to 10 degrees) is allowed. 

So, what happens to the a person when their moon is in conjunction with Neptune?: 

Boundless Empathy: And I'm not talking about the "Yeah, I get what you mean" kind of empathy. Though nothing is wrong with this form of empathy to begin with. Neptunian empathy is a lot more extroverted. Neptunian empathy is not just projected, it is felt through every inch of the body. Neptunian empathy is "I feel what you feel" and the native is genuinely experiencing every emotion they may come across as if it were their own.  The Moon only intensifies this experience. The Moon causes the native to nurture the channel in which they have picked up the energy from. So with the conjunction, we find a person who seeks to make active attempts to end the suffering of others in order to save themselves. 

Psychic Vulnerability: The moon in conjunction with Neptune causes a psychic vulnerability that is potentially dangerous to the native. If the native has the ability to astral project, the will find that negative astral entities will gravitate towards them and attempt to steal their energy. This is especially likely if the conjunction takes place in the 8th or 12th house. If the conjunction takes place in the 4th house, the native will experience psychic vampirism throughout the human experience. It ma feel as if the native is a target/scapegoat for the human race as they will be seen as an easy target by many. It is especially important for those with Moon/Neptune in 4th house to practice boundary setting starting from a young age. 

Premonitions/Foresight: Moon/Neptune can pick up on the thoughts of others quite easily. Moon/Neptune natives also have the ability to see into the near future. This insight is often provided to the native through dreams, symbols, and precognition. It is not unusual for a Moon/Neptune native to think of a person only to get a phone call/text/visit from them seconds later. It is also not unusual for Moon/Neptune natives to foresee upcoming death/trauma. At 8 years old, I predicted my grandmother's death. I sat on my bed playing one day and said to myself "Grandma's gunna go soon." I had no clue what that even meant, but I felt like it was something to be acknowledged. Two weeks later, my grandmother surely passed. Imagine how strange I looked being the only person at the funeral with a smile on my face. I could not help but feel at one with  the universe at that point in time. 

Healing Capabilities: I strongly encourage anyone with a Moon/Neptune influence to give Reiki a chance (whether or not the conjunction is present). Moon/Neptune folks are very gifted with their hands and would be phenomenal at energy healing. Those with Moon in conjunction to Neptune may be born with energy healing capabilities, particularly the act of removing negative energy and mental/psychosomatic illnesses from another's body.  This can often be done by holding the hands of one who is suffering and engaging in a brief meditation, drawing all focus to the body of another. By setting clear intentions and exchanging surges of energy, the Moon/Neptune native can provide temporary comfort and healing for those who are in need. The longer one engages in the act, the longer that the suffering can be relieved. However, psychic shielding is very important when engaging in these practices as the energy of the suffering can easily seek solace within the temple of the Moon/Neptune native. 

Orphanage to the Broken: This is classic Neptune, attracting and taking in the lost and forgotten. The Moon only amplifies the need to nurture and protect those that cling to the native. Moon/Neptune conjunction can cause a native to become a walking orphanage. Everywhere the native travels will lead to encounters with extremely damaged and tortured souls. It is common for Moon/Neptune to come across abuse victims, the mentally ill, drug addicts, codependents, and the emotionally unavailable. Unfortunately, Moon/Neptune natives (regardless if there is a conjunction or not) are often prey to narcissists and sociopaths alike. Due to this, Moon/Neptune natives must learn how to read people. A strong Pluto can serve as a protector to the native.  Otherwise, the native is vulnerable to being used and abused. 

Shielding and Boundary Setting

Those with Moon in conjunction to Neptune must engage in regular cleansing and shielding rituals in order to maintain optimal health. Because Neptune and the Moon are both psychic sponges, the native is susceptible to taking on all the energy that is being carried by others, including illness and dark energy. This psychic absorption can happen at any time, without the natives consent. If the native is not careful, they can easily find themselves contemplating suicide and throwing their life away. Mediation and Chakra balancing are all beneficial to the well being of the Moon/Neptune individual. The creative arts also serve as a wonderful outlet for all the gunk that Moon/Neptune folks pick up on average. Lucky enough, the pure and benevolent intentions of the Moon/Neptune native are often strong enough to serve as a gate of psychic protection for the native. 

The 12th house holds the secrets of the universe. When we fall asleep at night, our mercury clocks out and our Neptune activates. The subconscious mind begins to unravel all the thoughts and experiences of the days from the past and beyond. But similar to being in an awakened state, there is a present and future that also exists within the subconscious. We experience the present and future through the likes of the astral realm. Figured it out yet? That's right! We're about to get into the nitty gritty of astral projection!

Astral Sexy ⥺  

Astral projection is one of the most sought out experiences that mystics and spiritual enthusiasts wish to encounter. The astral realm holds the key to all of your heart's desires, while also serving as an escape from the bitterness of the world. No wonder 12th house play such a huge role! Unfortunately, it's not so easy to visit and leave as you please. Consist and meaningful astral projection takes time and practice. Many experience astral projection on accident. Some, with a more active third eye, can induce sleep paralysis and eventually slip into the astral world without much preparation. Others (most) will need extensive guidance and mental preparation. The first projection is the most frightening experience one can encounter. If I'm being honest, the first month can be pretty disheartening. It takes a while to get used to the sensations experienced in the astral world. They are not of this world, and will require a bit of desensitization to say the least. 

As a Plutonian/Neptunian, I found myself roaming through the astral realm with great ease. Though my 12th house does not consist of any major planets, Black Moon Lilith and Eris point both occupy the space. These two energies alongside my moon's conjunction to Neptune grant me a lot of subconscious ability as well as psychic self control. However, I have paid close attention to my experiences in the astral realm and have made note of a few commonalities in the hopes of helping guide others to a more pleasant and peaceful astral experience. 

The Initial Stages ⧫

Sleep Paralysis: Though I have encountered sleep paralysis time and time again, I cannot help but feel an enormous pool of empathy for those who experience their first episode of paralysis. Imagine waking up to a surrounding that is perceived to be the exact place you fell asleep in. Imagine everything being in order, just as you left it, only to feel as if something is off. You could've sworn you've been awake for at least five minutes. You can see your surroundings so clearly that you could just a paint a picture. But something is missing. Why are you still glued to your bed? You're quite confident that you're awake and ready to start your day. only problem is, you can't move! You can't lift a finger. You are paralyzed. What will happen to your future? How will you make out? Who will take care of you now that you can no longer move a limb on your own? I'm sure these are all thoughts that cross a person's mind during their first episode of paralysis. Well, you can take a breath and relax for a second. In fact, that's one of the very few ways you are going to get out of this mess to begin with. 

Sleep paralysis does not equate to actual paralysis. So please do not panic if ever you find yourself in this situation. The trick is to command your mind to move a specific part of your body. Start with a finger, then maybe a toe. Keep on commanding your body to regain awareness over itself and you are sure to return to your natural state. You will wake up in your bed, possibly wondering if you've just experienced a nightmare. You will touch your surroundings with desperation, questioning your very perception of reality. If you have gotten past this step, congratulations. Welcome to the initiation. 

Roaming: The trick to getting to the next step is relinquishing ALL forms of control over to the unknown. Sounds easier said than done, huh? No doubt about it. However, it's necessary and must be learned. Your mind is going to be exposed to phenomenon it has never encountered before. And without the proper discipline and mental preparation (hey Saturn and Mercury), you will not be psychologically strong enough to move on nor will you be able to process what you've experienced without a mental breakdown waiting on the back burner. The strength of natal mercury and Saturn can determine how quickly (or Slowly) this process will take. A strong natal Saturn (Capricorn; Scorpio; Aquarius/12h; 8h; 9h) followed by a psychically charged mercury (Pisces; Aquarius; Scorpio; Cancer; Taurus;/ 9h; 4h; 8h; 12h) will serve as a crutch throughout this difficult process. Although these natal positions are not necessary in order to induce astral projection. 

After the first couple of times falling into sleep induced paralysis, the experience should become a tad less frightening. Curiosity should rule out fear, promoting further exploration and progress within the mysterious realm. Instead of cowering with fear when you find that you are glued to your bed, with enough surrender and healthy optimism (hey Neptune and Jupiter!), you will be released from the prison of your body. My 12th housers know what I mean by this. How exciting! Now there is a whole world to explore of that is free of systems, greed, and power. What a dream (;

Is This For Real?: When you finally put fear aside and have faith in the universe, you will find that you are no longer stuck in your bed. You are walking around and exploring what seems to be you room. Well, it is your room. You're just not your "self". Get it? Haha. But all jokes aside, you are no longer a physical being at this point. You are a floating, curious spirit with much to learn! Welcome to your playground.

Eventually you will find your way out of your boring house and into astral territory. What does this look like? Well it's different for everyone. Some will immediately begin to soar the outskirts of the heavenly sky. Some will browse their neighborhood and check up on neighbors. Others will remain in the house. This step is an important projection/reflection of the current state of your psyche. Feeling trapped? Don't expect to leave the house anytime soon. Feeling liberated? The astral world is yours! 

What Happens Next?: I truly wish I could provide that answer. But this part is severely up to you. Once you've left the comfort of your corpse, it is up to you to decide how far (or how close) you wish to remain. This is YOUR soul. And only you can determine how far you soar. However, I advise everyone and anyone to tread carefully. This is a world of spirit we are dealing with. And for every yang, there is a yin for purposes of balance. Though the astral realm is beautiful and ethereal in nature, it can be just as frightening as hell itself. I will not get too deep into the negatives in this article, as I would hate to petrify your curious minds. However, I will share that the monsters in your closet cannot compare to some of the dark and malicious entities that exist in the astral realm. Tread carefully.. 

Tell Me About Astral Sex: When you get completely used to the ways of astral projection, it is likely that you will begin to meet other astral bodies. Astral bodies can be anyone and anything. The interaction that goes on in the astral realm is very similar to the conversation that occurs back down on earth. However, it is not always guaranteed that the people you come in contact with will remember speaking with you in the astral realm come morning. If the person you come in contact has little awareness of the likes of the astral realm, it's highly unlikely that they will be able to identify coming in contact with you. There will be moments where there will be an opportunity to engage in astral sex. Astral sex is an amazing experience. In my opinion, it's far better than the real thing. The soul connection that one experiences through astral sex is far out of this world. You are feeling the sexual experience through an emotional, psychic, and spiritual frequency. Positive sexual experience can raise your vibrations while negative sexual experiences can suck you dry. It is important to protect yourself just as you would in the psychical realm. Unfortunately, there are negative and malicious, entities known as succubus and incubus, that prey on vulnerability. They will often disguise themselves as human being and use sex as an opportunity to psychically attack you. It is important to have boundaries in the astral realm, you hear me Neptunians? The last thing you want is to be psychically attacked while you are far away from your source (body). 

Fun Fact: Incubus and succubus often prey on the vulnerable. Those who are socially isolated, those who have recently experienced trauma, those in long distance relationships and many more are capable of falling victim to such entities. Education is key to staying safe and having a good experience. 

This Was Fun, Now How Do I Get Back to My Body?: So you've had lots of fun but you are still attached to your little life on earth. That's fine. Time to get back. No need to worry too much, there is a cord that all spiritual beings are equipped with. The cord is used to keep your psychical and astral self connected for when you project. There is no special process needed to return to your body. When you are ready to wake up, you will naturally return back home. It will feel as if it were all a dream. The cord keeps you safe and allows you to get back free of ease. However, it is best not to wander to far from the body when first learning how to project. Baby steps guarantee the most success and enjoyment of the astral process. 

Stay tuned for part two, where I will talk about lucid dreaming and astral bullies!