Neptune Retrograde Is Here—Use This Period Of Self-Reflection Wisely

Another retrograde is coming your way! Before you go running for the hills, slow down and read this first. On June 23 2020, Neptune will appear to change direction in the sky and will begin its retrograde. It will then pause and then resume its forward ascent again on November 28. Unlike many of the other retrograding planets (cough, Mercury, cough) this is one of the easiest to experience, and can result in positive change and personal growth for us all. With that said, take a few deep breaths in and out—Neptune retrograde’s meaning for June 2020 is nothing to fear. 

Every year, Neptune spends about 160 days peddling backward in the sky. This means that a for little less than half of the year, Neptune (the planet of illusions, rose-colored glasses, addictions and self-deception) is not moving at its normal pace. Since we spend almost half of every year experiencing this Neptunian phase, for most, the effects are rather subtle. This is quite unlike Mercury retrograde, which is a short quarterly push that can feel jarring and intense.

Now that your breathing has slowed and your anxiety has subdued (I hope!), let’s discuss the most likely Neptune Retrograde occurrences. In Astrology, Neptune aims to teach us about how we deceive ourselves, suppress our fears and manage our anxieties. Often this happens on a very subconscious level. Most of us tend to operate in ways that have us projecting our fears and anxieties onto others, as it is human nature to not be able to see ourselves wholly. This is what awakening and evolution are all about. The more clearly  we are able to see and understand ourselves, the less we will project onto others and the more we can eliminate our own self-imposed blocks to our dreams.

NASA Images/Shutterstock.

Neptune Retrograde helps us get out of our own way, little by little. As we experience it, we learn more about ourselves and can slowly but surely remove bad habits and replace them with ones that are far better-aligned with our soul’s magic. Neptune’s goal when it retrogrades is to show us that the source of our pain is within in, and therefore, only we can allow ourselves to move beyond what troubles us.

Pay attention to what occurs around the dates that Neptune changes direction—June 23 and November 28, to be specific. We can take these experiences as signs from the universe that we are not seeing ourselves clearly. This retrograde is a chance for us to ask key questions about the pain we experience, feelings of unworthiness and even periods of extreme worry. From there, it’s up to us to confront these unpleasantries head-on, trace them to the seeds of these feelings, and heal them so that we can grow stronger.

Moreover, Neptune retrograde is the perfect time to dive deeper into self-development, be it through therapy, counseling, journaling, meditation or any other self-love activity that allows you to explore and unpack negative feelings. It is also a great time to acknowledge how you might be been self-medicating or intentionally avoiding these feelings, so you can replace negative coping mechanisms with positive healing strategies. Neptune retrograde is a magical time that the universe gifts us each year, so make an effort to use it wisely and surprise yourself with your own personal growth.