Neptune, the planet symbolizing water, spirituality, intuition, creativity, illusions, deceptions, dreams, art, fantasy, entertainment, and mind-altering substances, will enter retrograde from June 30 to December 6, 2023, in the sign of Pisces.
Neptune Retrograde in Pisces: Spiritual and Creative Transformation in 2023
This celestial body, known for ruling the oceans of life and the seas of consciousness, often invites us to delve into the depths of our inner world, especially when its energy intensifies.
Neptune, in its essence, casts a veil over our perception, which can create an atmosphere of confusion or uncertainty. This phenomenon occurs because Neptune urges us to look beyond our external surroundings and seek guidance in our internal universe. When the external world seems murky, Neptune reminds us that the only direction we should look is inward.
However, when Neptune enters its retrograde phase, this veil is lifted, and we are confronted with stark reality. Illusions may crumble, and deceptions may be exposed. Neptune Retrograde has the power to reveal falsehoods or aspects we might have preferred not to see.
If we have been resorting to Neptunian vices to escape reality or avoid facing our truth, the Neptune Retrograde period can be a time of awakening and confrontation.
Neptune Retrograde Cycle 2023
This specific Neptune Retrograde cycle invites us to review events since December 4, 2022, to assess if we need to see things with a healthy dose of reality. It might be time to remove our rose-colored glasses and face the truth head-on.
Since Neptune is retrograding in its ruling sign, Pisces, we are experiencing the deepest and most complete expression of Neptune’s energy. On a personal level, we may notice that the Neptunian themes we dealt with in December 2022 resurface in some way.
Creative Blockages
As the planet of creativity, imagination, and dreams, Neptune Retrograde can sometimes generate creative blockages. However, this is part of a process to renew our creative vision.
Even if we feel stuck or limited in our creative projects, once Neptune resumes its direct course, we are likely to experience new inspirations and ideas that will elevate our work to a higher level.
If you encounter a creative block, it’s important to honor this period as a time of rebirth. It can also be a good time to take a break from creative projects and focus more on logistics.
Sometimes, our creative processes need a checklist and a plan, and this is the ideal time to work on them.
Reassessment of Our Spiritual Journey
As Neptune is the planet of spirituality, during its retrograde, we might find ourselves reevaluating our spiritual beliefs and what we consider to be true. We may lean towards different ideologies or ways of being.
If we have been avoiding confronting spiritual aspects in our lives, Neptune Retrograde can bring these issues to the surface, guiding us to confront them.
It’s easy to downplay what happens to us in an effort to be compassionate or the “bigger person,toetrograde is a good time to reflect and adopt a more practical, logical, and critical approach to the situation.
Neptune Retrograde can bring realizations about the spiritual path we have been following and whether it is truly leading us to peace or merely feeding our ego.
Lessons on Unconditional Love
Neptune is also the planet of unconditional love, the love that goes beyond our relationships and is connected with the eternal essence of our soul. This is the love that we are and to which we will return. We might also call it Divine Love.
While Neptune travels retrograde, we might feel challenged to practice or access this Divine Love and direct it towards ourselves. We might also find ourselves on the line between recognizing that we are all love and deserve love and setting boundaries to avoid being taken advantage of.
Although unconditional love is a notable spiritual practice, sometimes we have to love from a distance and love through our own boundaries.
Dose of Reality
Neptune is the planet of escapism. Its essence lies in getting lost in a movie, a poem, or being transported to another world in a fantasy novel.
While all these things are wonderful and have their place, if we have used them to continually escape from facing reality, Neptune Retrograde can bring us back to it abruptly.
With Neptune’s veil lifted, we might be forced to face things, see the real truth, and address what we have been trying to avoid.
Neptune also rules addiction to mind-altering substances, so issues related to this can also come to light during this retrograde period.
Secrets Revealed
When Neptune travels retrograde, it’s like gaining backstage access to what’s happening behind the scenes. There we can see what is real and what is not. As Neptune moves through its retrograde path, it can lift the veil, allowing us to see the truth.
If someone has been deceptive, or if we have been ignoring the truth, Neptune can force us to face it. Neptune Retrograde can sometimes be like taking off rose-colored glasses and seeing the reality of what surrounds us.
It can bring awakenings and reveal the truth. Although this can be awakening, trust that you are ready to face it.
Exercises and Reflections for Neptune Retrograde 2023
- Reflect on a recent situation where you may have overlooked or dismissed certain challenges or negative aspects. What specific details or factors did you ignore? How might recognizing these realities have impacted your decision-making or actions?
- Write down the blockages you have been facing in your creative process. What do you think could be the underlying causes of these blockages?
- Use the following reflection: “Allowing my intuition to guide, I can better align with my soul by…”
- Make a list of things that inspire you. Try to integrate these into your weekly schedule.
Tanaaz is the creator of Forever Conscious, a space dedicated to intuitive astrology and spiritual awareness. She stands out as an intuitive astrologer and aims to use her writing to inspire and heal.
