Neptune in Aries: Dreams of Independence

Neptune is moving into Aries, and this one is fascinating.

We get a preview from March 30 through October 22, 2025. Then Neptune settles into Aries in 2026 and stays until about 2038. That's over a decade of Neptune in Aries—a long transit that's going to reshape how we dream about independence, adventure, and what it means to be an individual.

Neptune represents dreams, visions, fantasies, mysticism, spirituality, and religion. But it also brings illusions, confusion, and that fog people describe when they have challenging Neptune transits. There's escapism, which isn't always a bad thing—sometimes we need healthy fantasy. But Neptune can also manifest as drug addiction or unhealthy delusions.

There's a doubleness to Neptune. It can create wonderful, visionary art or it can create the fog of addiction. Neptune can go to extremes.

Aries is Mars-ruled, cardinal fire. It's about leading, starting, beginning things. The first sign of the zodiac, focused on the individual, leadership, pioneers, youth, adventure, action, competition. In our modern world, this shows up as entrepreneurship—like going into competition on Shark Tank—martial arts, and yes, war.

Neptune in Aries: 2025 - 2038

March 30 - October 22, 2025

Jan. 26, 2026 - May 21, 2038

Oct. 21, 2038 - March 23, 2039

Note that Neptune is conjunct Saturn in 2025 and 2026, both in Pisces and in Aries. While Neptune is diffuse and dreamy, Saturn likes to take form and limit things. There's a limitation to Neptune in this conjunction, which might not be such a bad thing.

What I'm Seeing

When Neptune is in Aries, we might get delusions of grandeur in our leadership. I wonder who that could be referring to. We also see dreams of independence and fantastic adventure stories.

But here's something interesting: with Neptune (god of freshwater and the sea) in Aries (fire sign, dryness), I'm seeing larger water rights issues. Wars or battles related to water or the ocean. I don't want to predict big wars. We just live in a violent society that seems to always be at war. So I'm just going with what's already our reality, not what I think has to happen.

I'm also seeing religious visions and modern spiritualities that focus on the religion of the self. New age spirituality is always about the higher self, improving and getting to the highest version of yourself. There's this conflation of spirituality and wellness that happens in modern society where spirituality becomes about self-exploration, self-knowledge, self-improvement.

We'll probably see more spiritual pioneers, artistic pioneers taking risks in mystical realms, and the popular and legal use of drugs. We already see legalized marijuana, but perhaps we'll see that happen on a federal level, as well as more psychedelics or newly legalized substances. Possibly substances that are newly available in more over-the-counter edibles and drinkables.

What Happened Last Time: 1861 - 1875

Neptune was last in Aries during the Victorian era, from 1861 to 1875. The United States had a Civil War (note that Uranus was also in Gemini during this time).

Spiritualism really rose in the US both during and after the Civil War. So many people died that their families wanted to be able to talk to them. There was a real rise in mediumship and spiritualism, which had started in England but spread all over the US. Even Lincoln and his wife went to see a medium. It was very popular, though of course there were also fakes and frauds.

I think we might see an echo of this rise of spiritualism and desire to connect with those beyond. We've already seen a real rise in alternative spirituality as people leave established religions for new age spirituality, witchcraft, and paganism. Paganism is the fastest-growing spirituality in the US now.

Post-Civil War, during the era of emancipation and reconstruction, the Black Church played a really important role in reconstructing life for previously enslaved people and in the political transformation of the United States. There's that Neptune dream combined with Aries independence—the dream of liberation.

Some Fascinating Examples

The Salvation Army was co-founded in 1865—I couldn't come up with a better Neptune in Aries name. Salvation being Neptune, army being Aries. An army of people helping others with donations and aid.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was published in 1865. A fantastic adventure, a Neptunian dream that's also an adventure. There hadn't been anything like Alice before. And obviously it's very trippy with Neptune's influence.

Mendel published his laws of inheritance in 1866, which was a precursor to modern genetics. Aries is very much about the self—who I am. Genetics often tells us more about who we are. With advances in medicine, Neptune in Aries could bring interesting developments in genetics.

Joseph Lister first used antiseptics in surgery in 1867—a game changer for surgery. Antiseptics being kind of Neptune (cleansing, taking away pain) and surgery being very Mars/Aries (literally the knife).

Impressionism went public in 1874—pioneering art that's very Neptunian, focused on the impression of something rather than realistic representation.

The Great Binge

Here's something that relates to my prediction about legal drugs: The Great Binge started when Neptune was in Aries in 1870 and lasted through 1914. This was a period of widespread international heavy use of legal narcotics. Opium, heroin, cocaine, morphine—these things were marketed to adults and children, in medicines, over the counter. Cocaine was in Coca-Cola initially.

Even Sherlock Holmes used these drugs in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's stories. These drugs were popular, unregulated, and considered normal.

So Neptune doesn't always bring good developments. There's this pioneering trend that starts things with Neptune energy.

If substances do become legalized or they're heavily marketed and unregulated, it doesn't necessarily mean they're healthy to consume. It might just be Neptune in Aries creating fog around the situation or leading people to go on a binge.

You have to use your best judgment about what's best for you.

A Short Guide to Working with Neptune in Aries

This is going to be a long transit—over a decade of dreams about independence, spiritual pioneering, and the potential for both visionary breakthroughs and dangerous delusions.

Pay attention to where your dreams of independence might be clouded by unrealistic fantasies. Neptune can make everything seem more magical than it actually is.

Be especially careful about any new substances or spiritual practices that promise quick enlightenment or easy answers. The Great Binge started during the last Neptune in Aries transit.

But also stay open to genuine spiritual innovation and artistic breakthroughs. Some of the most beautiful and revolutionary art and spiritual movements emerge during Neptune's transits through Aries.

Stay revolutionary: distinguish between healthy dreams and dangerous delusions.