“What’s Pluto Got to Do With It?  The Alchemy of Desire”

                        "When an inner situation is not made conscious,

                                   it happens outside as fate."

                                                                             Carl Jung

When you think of the word ‘alchemy’ do you think of obscure etchings in ancient books where the alchemist-astrologer hovered over a crucible seeking to distill the philosopher’s stone? Do you remember how he was supposedly trying to find the meaning of life by transmuting lead into gold? Astrological symbols infused these strange images that were meant to both teach and conceal teachings that were thought to be too advanced for the ordinary man. But we have an advantage. Because we understand the language of astrology we don't need to be an occultist or of royal blood to apply what they thought was esoteric—we can translate the abstract texts and practice real alchemy in our lives.

 The ancient alchemists knew that there was power in transforming the base metals---or the base emotions—into gold. Whether it be the melancholic Saturnian lead, or 'shit'-- that modern term for all that is dark, disagreeable and trouble-making in our lives---they knew that if we didn’t transform it we would project or transmit this negative energy to others, laying the blame on them. And the results would not be pleasant. Simply put—one transforms or one transmits. And we miss a great opportunity if we ignore the chance to create a little alchemy in our lives.

So what’s Pluto got to do with it? What’s love got to do with it? And what is this transforming alchemy of desire?  Simply put, we have to look at what happens when we put desirous Venus together with Pluto. Uncomfortable bed-mates for sure, but like Persephone and Hades, very powerful. We know Venus is about beauty, love, and the striving for harmonious relationship, and Pluto is the uncontrollable urge to go deeper and to transform.  The Venus way of desire is the positive yearning for something, and has a sweet flavor. We can deal with the juicy desires of Venus without complaint, but most astrologers would agree that the deeper realms of Plutonian yearnings are shrouded in unconsciousness and are seldom dealt with pro-actively. They happen to us through all degrees of unpleasantness.

But the Universe is not out to hurt us. Most of us don’t change our course in life or delve into the taboo or deal with negativity till the situation gets very intense. Plutonian circumstances seem to come at us from others—or from external circumstances---and force us to look at what we don’t want to look at and 'corners us' into making a change.

 So you may thinking, is this like when I haven’t cleaned the house in a long while and the garbage begins to smell, and my house-mate complains of my laziness? Well yes, that’s one way it works. It's also about the time you were just wandering around the internet and came upon a 'singles site' and on a lark you replied to an ad in some .com site and then when he called, you lied, and then your husband found out and… etc. You get it.

  The alchemists knew that if you want to get what you desire you’re going to have to start with the basics—the Saturnian 'prima-materia', or shit, and transform it. So what can we learn from these ancient astrologer-alchemists? 

Clean out the garbage before it gets too intense. Go to a marriage counselor, or buy that lingerie and start feeling sexy so that you can enjoy having sex again. That’s acting on Saturn wisdom. But what happens when the uncontrollable Plutonian forces of life start acting up? And what happens when you combine the positive force of desire—of Venus—with Pluto, the God of the Underworld?

Pluto’s favorite stomping grounds are relationships. Not the easy ones. The ones that matter—the ones that stir your ambition or hormones or survival urges.  Plutonian love relationships are life transforming and we enter into them willingly because we are drawn by the chemistry or the possibilities of the encounter. And though we may be thinking of 'good sex' here, it’s also about deep friendship, relationships with your brother or sister, and even the relationship you have with your boss that hints of possibilities not included in the employee manual.

 Two of Pluto’s ruthless swords are envy and jealousy.  The dictionary defines envy as a feeling of discontent and resentment aroused by desire (Venus!) for the possessions or qualities of another. It defines jealous as being fearful or wary of being supplanted; apprehensive of losing affection or position; also, resentful or bitter in rivalry, or painfully desirous of another’s advantages.

     Now this could describe your feelings or theirs—it could be coming at you or it could be rising up within you. Let’s say you’ve been in this pleasing, rather juicy relationship with someone, and then one of you gets a transit of Pluto. Here's one translation of that---one of you does something 'slightly uncharacteristic' and the other feels wildly betrayed. And Pluto is so non-discriminating—the betrayer could be either of you, but the effect is the same: chaotic emotions and feelings of anger and betrayal. How could he/she say that? Do that? And now he/she’s hanging out with someone else and---dare we call what's happening jealousy?

            Here’s where even a little understanding of alchemy can help a bit. You either get in the stew with them---out of love or obsession—or you get out of the crucible and save yourself from getting cooked. What needs to be understood first is who’s got the most ‘shit’—right?  No.  Pluto has come along because something was old or stuck or rigid and needed to die and be reborn. Pluto doesn’t care who is right or wrong—it is simply ruthless in its demand for change and reform—and it doesn’t care if you are the innocent party or not.

            And because Plutonian feelings are so unpleasant we all love to point the finger of blame somewhere. Maybe even at your favorite astrologer for not thoroughly warning you. But projecting all the blame may ease your conscience, and may be true, but it doesn’t make the pain go away. Something is dying; and eventually a new birth will take place. The labor is never easy.

            So what's the relationship dynamic here? Maybe one of you was acting arrogant with that 'oh-so-positive' Jupiter aspect that your astrologer did tell you about. Or maybe you forgot that your twelfth house Saturn is about cleaning out your psychic basements and attics, and you still haven’t done the inner work demanded by this placement. Weren’t you going to join Al-anon and not let this person’s actions hold you hostage anymore?  Or maybe your innocent Venus just happens to conjoin exactly with the Pluto in your husband's best friend's chart--- and all you have to do is see him and you start to blush? Or every time you see the savvy woman who's head of your favorite committee you find yourself starting to talk faster and faster?  Maybe dropping names? What’s happening?

            The good news is that envy is the highest form of flattery. You wish you had those looks, that position, that relationship, or that house. And it may make you uncomfortable to see your lack—can you admit that?  But the high road here is to use this feeling as a guide-post, a wake-up call, and a directional map.  You don't have to go unconscious and drop into the resentful emotions of jealousy.  Instead you can choose to embody and be that which you desire—and yes, you need to have what it is you feel envious about! But before you despair and argue that it can’t happen; think about it---it doesn’t mean that you can have that particular person, job, or educational advantage specifically---but you can have or become what it symbolizes. 

            So we’re back to the symbols. You can get the good feelings back and reclaim your Soul. If you want to have a relationship with Mr. or Ms. Unattainable or have whatever Pluto has taken from you, then you’ve got to play at the level of Pluto. Suffer the lack of it. Feel and see what it is you desire. Name it. Pray and sing and swear about it.  Then give up your suffering and let die whatever is holding you back from “getting it.” You will probably have to make some major changes—like letting one relationship die so that you can have room in your life for a new better one---or you may have to tell your friend that what she/he did was unconscionable and that you’ve had enough.

 But don’t stop at the death part—keep going and take that 12 step program or weight loss plan or go back to school, or do whatever you need to do to bring the essence of what you desire into your life. Move into the birthing.

            It’s not all about the literal object of your desire. It’s also about how it all makes you feel.  And there are many ways of getting at that. Use your desire--- your Venus energy-- to make the connections to other people and a new way of life that brings about the alchemical transformation. Create a transforming new crucible by eliminating what is not essential to your highest purpose. Release the old pattern or person in whatever way you feel called to--- and get out of that stew.

It won’t feel good at first to let go of what you’ve been obsessing about.  Sift through the muck and see if you can distill flickers of golden insights there and use them to fuel your new actions and new life. Then you’ll be well on your way to understanding what the philosopher- alchemists knew---that what does not destroy you makes you stronger---and that nothing has the power to destroy your essence without your consent. 

Elizabeth Spring

Elizabethspring@aol.com

                         "Bitterness; the Silent Disease" 
                         "Anger is a short madness."
                                                Horace    65 BC

        Anger is a short madness, but bitterness is anger that has been boiled, simmered, and then found so unpalatable that it has been thrown into the deep freeze of our unconscious psyches. We may think that we have done our ‘anger management’ by cooling and repressing our anger, but in most cases, it’s still alive and not well. It needs to be thawed, re-heated, and disposed of properly.  Refrigeration doesn’t work well, as cooled anger turns to resentment and bitterness. It has an annoying tendency to leak out at inappropriate times-- upsetting good relationships, disturbing our dreams, and filling us with a vague discontent.

Anger is what we feel first in the face of injustice, and repeated anger becomes deep-seated resentment at whoever and whatever is upsetting us. It turns cold and bitter. And the worse part is that it can turn us bitter even when we think we’ve hidden it so well! It can show on our faces, in our expressions, in our tone of voice. It gives us indigestion, insomnia, back pain, and unexplained headaches.  We want so much for it not to de-freeze-- we want so much to forgive and forget, but proper disposal of toxic pain isn’t easy.  Most of us need help with it.

Bitterness is a crusty disease that grows on unprocessed anger. It is particularly dangerous for us as we age, because many therapists, including  myself, believe that it plays a part in heart disease as well.  The heart is both a physical and emotional organ that reflects how we treat it.  Most of us are trying to exercise away the excesses that have deposited themselves as fat—but what are we doing with all that un-dealt with pain in our hearts? With the years of frozen anger?  

First of all, it needs to be acknowledged. Yes, it’s there. Maybe you call it disillusionment with your career, or maybe you say it’s how your sister cheated you out of part of your inheritance, or maybe it’s that romantic love never quite came through for you. You may have the regret of the ‘enabler’ or the one who had to sacrifice a large part of her life for another. Maybe you blame someone or blame yourself.  What matters most though, is the story we tell ourselves about it.

     This story needs to be re-told and re-framed. If you will investigate, research, and delve deeper into the place where you hold this bitterness and pain, you can gain a wider perspective and a deeper understanding of the whole picture.  You need to have someone who can deeply listen to your story, and whose opinions you trust. Allow them to help you understand it from a variety of different perspectives. Allow them to help you put it into a story that makes some sense (not easy!)

 The psychologist, Carl Jung, once wrote that all adult neuroses could only be healed by a spiritual perspective. Perhaps you can find a way to infuse the story with love towards yourself and others. The last step will be to tell the ‘deep freezer of your subconscious’ the new story of how and why it all happened, and how you see it now.

          As a psychotherapist and astrological counselor, I often look at what I call the family karmic inheritance. This is the legacy of inherited sins and blessings that get handed down the generations, and I believe it’s responsible for more psychic distress than we realize.

 You may notice that you have our mother’s eyes, but have you noticed that you have some of her passive aggressive traits as well?  Do you know what she was holding her anger about? Can you discover how far back it goes? Could you be overly sensitive to authoritarian figures like your grandfather, or experiencing a similar conflict between the demands of creativity and family that he once did? How bad did it get? Once you know the nature of the inheritance you can look at it how it’s showing up in your life. Old, long, and difficult inheritances can be particularly insidious. When you become conscious of the “sins of the father’s” you not only begin a healing process for yourself, but you stop the inheritance from infecting your children.

 Generations of maternal and paternal legacies influence us in subtle and no so subtle ways. In some families (such as the presidential Kennedy’s) there has been mention of a family ‘curse’. Although that is an exaggeration for most of us, almost everyone inherits a mixture of psycho-spiritual legacies that need to be sorted through. We need to pull out all the stories we can from the family deep freezer.

You can’t be fueled by bitterness, but you can be fueled by anger.  Bitterness eats you up, whereas anger can fuel you to do the emotional detective work that heals. It can help you find your voice and your courage. If you are feeling depressed, stuck, or cynical its time to do the psychic de-freezing. This is the time to act, not to “depress.” You may have to admit that your attempts to sublimate and distract yourself from your difficult moods aren’t working any more.  This is a good thing, because it means the time is right for you to make a positive and perhaps radical change.

As an astrologer and counselor, I find that there is a grace and energy that shows up when we do things at the right time. If you have no family members who are alive, or who won’t tell you true stories; you can find powerful hints as to this inheritance on your astrological chart.  And when you allow yourself to feel strongly about your feelings, rather than freezing them, you allow an opening for grace and serendipity. Call it what you will: God or chance or synchronicity, but whenever you decide to melt the frozen chunks of bitter memories with the healing warmth of tears and heartfelt stories, you invite in powers and graces beyond your rational mind. I believe we ‘summon the Gods’ with our open hearts, and that the Soul is ruthless in finding its way home.  Blessings on your journey home.

                               **********

“You Can Make Astrology Prove Anything…”

“You can make astrology prove anything,” she said to me with a malicious little grin. “It’s like the Bible—just pick the right verse and chapter, and you can make a case for God’s approval or disapproval on  almost anything—astrology included.” My friend had been studying astrology just long enough to get both confused and excited, and I could feel the tense undertones of emotion mixed in with the pleasantries of our after dinner conversation.  “Look at the choices,” she went on, “mid-points, solar arcs, transits, fixed Stars, secondary and tertiary progressions—just pick a time and you can back up anything you want to say with some aspect.” She had a point there, but she was missing the larger picture of how astrologers work with the increasingly growing tool-box of choices we have at our disposal. And beyond that, she was missing something even harder to explain. But I wanted to try.

I understood her complaint: Vedic, Sidereal, Placidus, Koch….evolutionary, medieval, psychological …..is it really all ‘under one sky’? And if so, how are we to know what works best? A skeptic, or a student like my friend, can look at all that and say that astrologers can pick and choose a system, a star, a progression, a transit, or whatever---to prove any  point.  It’s uncomfortable to hear that, because at certain times I think it has been done and it certainly reflects the ‘shadow quality’ of our work. However, most of us pick a system, and then prioritize our methods within a system into something that’s perhaps not quite a science, but at least has an integrity to it. I explained to my friend that just because one person primarily uses asteroids and relies on lunation cycles and another relies heavily on progressions and the outer planet transits, does not make either one of them wrong or better. I suggested that the ideal is to be able to see a theme repeated several times in different ways before making a case to substantiate a point. What I felt was important was to hold to the integrity and prioritizing within a given system, and then, according to our familiarity with these other “language systems” to check it out with them too. That way one could see what was congruent and what was paradoxical. But I reminded her that not only are systems, orbs, and aspects not perfect “black and white” paradigms, but that people are often profoundly paradoxical, and constantly in the process of changing as well!  She could understand this. What I couldn’t find words to explain then, was how a blind analysis of a chart or a period of time is much more problematic than a good astrology consultation. And that what underlies a good consultation often has much less to do with the mechanics of choosing a technique than something most astrologers use almost unconsciously, and  is perhaps the one commonality that all good astrologers have in common….but first let’s delve a bit more into the problem.

As astrologers, we quickly learn that there is an almost overwhelming smorgasbord of choices to make. Many of us fall back on the choices of our favorite teachers, and look to what the newest software programs or books are suggesting, or go to a conference and hear someone—who’s quite convincing and charismatic-- suggesting a particular way to view the newest or oldest menu of astrological techniques. This is not to say that we shouldn’t sample widely from the array of wonderful choices to find what works best for us and to find what we feel will nourish our clients---but underlying all this is the shadow of the unspoken fear--- is there a better way or a more accurate choice?  How do I know if I’m giving my client the best—the highest truth? These thoughts are very uncomfortable, and most of us confront that nagging uncertainty by being certified within a certain tradition, or we proclaim to offer an eclectic approach depending on the circumstance and client. We find a position and hold to it. All this is fine; and it is what we must do.

 As a counseling astrologer, I have a Master’s degree in counseling psychology with an emphasis in the work of Carl Jung. I’ve had teachers who used the tropical Placidus house system, and who viewed the planets as mythological archetypes within a spiritual mandala, and who saw the transits and progressions as challenging turning points along the process of individuation. I liked seeing how the astrological elements related to the Jungian modes of sensing, thinking, intuiting, and feeling. And so today I take comfort in the correspondences that align just close enough for my purposes, and that this particular brand of astrology fits ‘just enough’ into a larger context of a well respected system. So, when I’m asked: Is astrology based on science, or synchronicity? I launch into Jung’s theory of synchronicity, and I’m off and running. Yet I’m still uncomfortable with variations of  the “shadow question” such as—if the precession of the equinox’s is true, then isn’t Vedic more accurate in the predictive sense? And if the asteroids are archetypes why not use them? And how can I justify my use of orbs and aspects?  

 What about this huge tool-kit of resources we astrologers are privileged to use today? I like to think that just as a carpenter will have his or her own reasons for using a particular tool for a given situation, we too need to have many tools for different people, different cultures, and different questions. We might want to say, unlike using an authoritative text such as the Bible, that astrologers have to intuitively choose which technique to use to draw forth a response---and that what is more important is that we should be trying less to prove a point than to inquire into the client’s truth.

My bias is that my best “readings” are not the ones in which I rely heavily on prediction, but when the metaphors I use allow the client to see deeply into their life.  I know this is happening when they start talking more than me, and when they start looking at the question behind the question that they presented initially. And isn’t the point to put the technique secondary to the quality of the moment?   

 So what I’d like to offer is this---when we are presenting a symbolic system and the client is presenting their particular life issues---then, isn’t the answer to be found in that “sacred temenos” where we engage with the client in a way that reflects back to them what they are presenting to us?  Does it matter what astrological language we use?  Perhaps it’s not only the tropical Placidus evolutionary ‘way’ or the Vedic ‘way’ as much as it is the quality of the dialogue between two people in which the symbols and metaphors remind the client of what he or she already knows to be true. And if we ultimately want to empower our client to make the wisest choices possible given the situation---what’s the one thing we need to give this client in our brief time together? Is it the proficiency and uniqueness of our calculations or how we arrive at our speculations? I don’t think so.

I’d like to purpose that the most valuable thing we can give our client is silence.  It may only be a few moments here or there during the reading, but if we have given them, by whatever techniques used, a clear mirroring of their situation and an overview of the astrological ‘weather-forecast’---then we need to give them a moment in which to let their inner oracle speak. One could make a case that most of the people who come for readings already know ‘the answer’ but primarily want reassurance, and even for those who think they don’t know,  we still owe it to them to stop talking and listen to hear what they are understanding. Ask them what they have seen or heard. Give them a chance to answer their questions. In the few cases when the client cannot think symbolically or follow the line of thought, I’ve sometimes said: “If this was my chart, I might think…”and then paraphrase, pause, and say—“”what do you think of that? And then listen to hear if they understood the gist of symbolism and the challenge of their freedom of choice.

 Silence!  A new technique…subtle and profound. In every consulting hour, I suspect that no matter what techniques are used, the hope is that through clear translating and mirroring of the astrological symbolism with the human situation, there will be a synchronistic moment of “ah-hah” when there’s been an accurate mirroring of that which is above, to that which is below.  Isn’t that what we long for---when some piece of the client’s truth and the astrologer’s technique rise up to a little epiphany together! Ahh…. then there is that felt moment of meaningfulness that makes all considerations of proof of technique secondary.

And so I offer you the idea that the technique that brings this about is already embedded in most systems---the idea of moments of silence. Perhaps that is our only safeguard in truth-seeking; not forcing our predictions or symbolism or bias on our client, but honoring instead the idea that we are acting as psychopomps; instruments of the Divine. We can play whatever instrument(s) we want to seduce their Soul-wisdom forth, and present to them whatever delectable "astro-dish" we think will be most nourishing, but then, let’s give them a moment of silence--- to swallow, to digest, and to truly look at their chart. 

 I believe they will take what they need when we make it simple, clear, and in a language they understand. And in that moment of silence we give a chance for the Spirit to enter; for what the Jungians call the numinous moment--- when our client looks at their own chart and sees their own answers projected there---upon the clear sky of the heavens above and their gods within.  ~elizabeth spring~ (c) April 2007

                                Using Neptune Homeopathically

                                           “Similia, similibus, curantur"
                                        Latin: “Like cures like” by S. Hahnemann

      Last night I awoke in bed at 3:00 AM to find myself struggling to name that familiar ache in me that has no name—that core pain that sometimes sits heavy on my heart. I thought about all the times I’ve felt it: my childhood homesickness that hurt so bad it felt like a toothache, my adolescent struggles to separate from my mother, the unrequited loves of my twenties, the sense of loss before my divorce, and the various pains of betrayal from friends through the years. They all have a theme: separation from a place of togetherness. Of all the aches in the heart, that particular pain of separation, yearning and disillusionment—of an unlived or ill-used Neptune, may be the hardest and the most illusive of all pains.

 I say “illusive” because the depth and scope of Neptunian pain is so often permeated by illusions and its healing can defy rational analysis. It’s not that its causes aren’t clearly evident, it’s more that the cure for Neptunian problems may lie precisely within its own realm, and respond best by homeopathic thinking.

 As we know, Neptune is about the urge to merge and refers to permeable boundaries and those things that don’t separate us. It can be the longing for a lover, a philosophy, a true friendship, or even a better way of living. It’s that part in us that longs to transcend the daily routines, to let go of differences and “flow with the waters of life.” Neptune yearns for divine love, and despairs at how human love so often falls so short of the ideal.

  In Neptunian times we often react to the pain of disillusionment and separation by wrapping ourselves in a fog of self-deception and addictions. We’re confused.  Romantic illusions, painful melodramas, glowing sunsets with morning hangovers, and the larger-than-life spin we put on the stories we tell, are all in Neptune’s oceanic realm. We play out the merging and imaginative qualities of Neptune either positively or negatively (and often both at once) depending on how it’s aspected in our birth and transiting charts.

 When we fall under the spell of this mythical sea-god we need new medicine. The same astrological culprit that created our feelings of separation, loneliness, or disillusion can be the one to cure it. “Like cures like” say the homoeopathists. Neptune cures Neptune. This homeopathic remedy uses the inspiring qualities of Neptune to cure its disease.

 But first you might ask: Is Neptune strong in my chart now?  Everyone has Neptune somewhere in their birth chart “doing” something, but it only gets activated at certain times as it transits across the sky and aspects your chart in a particular way. If you don’t have your chart or astrologer to help here, you could ask yourself: Am I generally “high on life,” inspired, idealistic and at times naive?  Yet do I struggle to maintain the feeling that life is as it should be and that I am all I can be? Do I see both sides of the question when it comes to decision making? Do I feel the pain of lost loves and friendships more than most people you know? Does even reading this article make me ready for my evening glass of wine, even though it’s only noon? If you’ve smiled knowingly to those questions, then Neptune is playing a prominent role in your chart and life now.

 So how do we use Neptune homeopathically? Or simply said, how do we cultivate the higher octave, the wisdom of Neptune? The great psychologist, Carl Jung, delved into this when he said:  “Spiritus contra Spiritum.” This Latin quote is what Jung said to the founder of Alcoholic Anonymous: only “spirit can counteract spirits.” Jung felt that all adult neurosis are primarily a problem of our separation from Spirit.  We literalize spirit, and drink it instead as “spirits.”  Alcohol eases the existential pain of our separation from our spiritual nature briefly, but it isn’t the cure.

 Surely we can nourish our self with all that inspires us, and renew our connection to spirit in whatever form that takes for us. We can take ourselves to the ocean for inspiration and baptizing by her waters, or enjoy a glass of wine at the end of the day, or do it’s literal opposite and not have the wine, but join AA instead, and find a community of like-minded spirits. Or we can read books that speak to our Spirit and attend “spiritual rituals”.  But ironically, some of these things can be especially hard to do in Neptunian times if we’re feeling very disillusioned. In India, the Hindu’s have a spiritual saying for that:  “neti, neti”—meaning “it’s not this, not this,” implying that we find our way to what is true and healing for us by finding what is not—by finding what is illusion, false fear, and needless drama, and then letting it go.

 Jungian psychologists deal with this problem by saying we need to hold the tension of the opposites within us, without trying to deny or escape the situation. In the “holding” of the situation we create a container, or crucible, for alchemical energies to create change and transformation. One is encouraged to hold the despair or the unsolvable situation till the third “numinous” option appears.  Jungians suggest we wait till there’s an opening in the veil of maya, the opening between illusion and disillusion. Astrologers too, also usually counsel waiting during a Neptune transit, and caution clients to not “sign on the dotted line” during these times.

 Waiting is an option, as synchronistic events will often appear and lead us where we need to go. However, for those of us who like to be proactive, or use the homeopathic idea, then we can use Neptune itself to solve Neptunian problems. Here are some very practical proactive ideas for doing that:

*Consider the benefits of “breaking your own narrative.” Neptunian reality is a story we tell ourselves about how it was and how it will be. Is it really true? Would it be seen differently by someone else? How would it be for you if you didn’t hold onto your beliefs about your story? The subconscious is very suggest-able and the stories we tell ourselves about “how it all is” go deep. Much has been written about how we can monitor our thoughts to avoid repeating the same old tapes in our head that feed on the low ebb of self-esteem.  At these times we can replace the tired stories of our life with ones based on new insights as to why things happened. You can find new seeds of inspiration and retell the story of your life with a new slant! You can choose to see how the universe has co-operated with you to give you what you needed, not always what you wanted.

*Use your Neptunian gifts of visualization to dream into your future and practice intuitive strategies on yourself based on what only you—or your astrologer knows about you. Only you can read between the lines of what you say and think. Neptune represents our ability to use our intuition and to know things about ourselves that others can’t know rationally. One can’t say “yes, but” to ourselves indefinitely, before we realize that we need to dig even deeper into our psyche to take more responsibility for our lives. Neptunian dreaming ignites the urge for change. This is good medicine.

 * Use this “spaciousness” or the open-minded fogginess of a Neptunian time to let go of tight expectations of ourselves or others. Get a little looser. At these times we stand on shifting sands of illusion and can unwittingly deceive ourselves and others without meaning to—for example, we may give affection and attention when we don’t really mean it, or simply make poor decisions.  Instead we could give time to exploring new ideas, people, and plans that are tangible and will hold up in time. But, as any addiction therapist knows, one of the hardest things to do in treating an addict (read: a rough Neptunian transit) is the recurring sense of despair that comes with a realistic outlook. We need to dream “high enough” to excite us, yet be grounded enough to find sources of true support in hard times.

 *Neptunian energies need thoughtful release not repression. Don’t let anyone tell you to keep your dreams or your despair under wraps, yet there’s a need to differentiate between sheer outbursts of grief and acting out indiscriminately. We don’t want to be “dry drunks” in any sense of the word—people who live their wounds, drinking or not. When we enter into the experience of our Neptunian-separation pain, we would be wise to bring some reflection on the emotions we want to express. Can we search for the name of what ails us? And if we can, could we express it through a poem, a song, or a nurturing talk with a good friend? Here we are using the feeling of disconnection to fuel us to connect with Self or others. Neptune curing Neptune.

 Here’s an example of how this process can work. A woman I’ll call Catherine called me for a reading when she was on the verge of a divorce. She had already separated from her husband, and as she talked I began to feel that what she wanted to hear from me was encouragement to finalize the divorce. She wanted to “sign on the dotted line” but there it was—transiting Neptune squaring the Sun, and it still had over a year to go in that position. I had to counsel her to wait, to endure a state of not-knowing and to look for new sources of inspiration.  I could tell she was quite depressed and not happy with my response.

 The next time she called, she sounded a lot better, and was happy to tell me that in her “waiting” she had gone for a massage when she was at her lowest ebb of feeling. While under the nurturing hands of this therapist she felt revived—both by the subsequent massages and her new friend, who encouraged her to start attending massage school.  She picked up on this new inspiration and loved the school, although she said that the waiting was still hard and her teenage son had started acting out in school. She didn’t know what to do with him. I again listened and had to counsel continued more Neptunian homeopathy.

 The third and last time I talked to her was just after the Neptune aspect had passed, and she had good news---she was just graduating from massage school, felt less financially fearful, and her husband and son were respecting her in a new way for all the hard work she had done at school. Even her voice sounded lighter as she told me that as part of the divorce mediation process, she and her husband began seeing each other with new eyes! They felt their mutual love for their son was acting as a bridge for them to truly hear each other for the first time. Because they hadn’t signed on the dotted line, their marriage was getting a second chance. Her son now was having his own Neptunian problems with alcohol and we brain-stormed ideas as to how he could find the connection to spirit that suited him best. The Neptune homeopathic remedy we felt might work for him was to encourage and support his love of acting; a Neptunian art in which one enters into the spirit of another person and works with others to create an entertaining illusion.

 There are many ways to use astrological homeopathy, and it’s particularly effective with Neptune. When planets make strong aspects by transit we need to honor them by “feeding them what they need” which is simply to act out the higher octave of their very own nature. This works for all the planets. Neptunian homeopathy calls for dreaming into the future and a re-visioning of our lives as well as finding new ways to deeply reconnect with our Self, with others, and Spirit.  Neptunian transits appear to be subtle times, but in truth they are very potent times —reach for the highest octave of the sign, and be careful what you wish for as it may come true. Neptune knows how to wish upon a star…

Elizabeth Spring MA, is a counseling astrologer with a background in Jungian psychology. As an "archetypal astrologer" she specializes in exploring the hidden dynamics and symbolic meanings of the planetary archetypes, and teaches regularly at the Boston Jung Institute. Elizabeth has written for Mountain Astrologer before, and more of her articles can be read on www.elizabethspring.com or on her blog: http://NorthNodeAstrology.com   She can be contacted for phone or in-person readings at 401-294-5863.