Let's Sing a New Tune (part 1 of 2): Neptune in Aries ~ 2025 to 2039
- Kaitlyn Maura
- May 2
- 13 min read
On March 30th, 2025, Neptune entered the sign of Aries, the ram, for the first time since 1875. After transiting the sign of Pisces (where many modern astrologers consider it to be most "at home") since April of 2011, the blue planet's shift in sign marks a new era for the collective.
This shift, which might feel akin to being jolted out of a deep and dreamy sleep, is made even further significant by its history-making conjunction to Saturn at the first degree of the "first sign." For now, however, it is only Neptune, the sea god, who embarks on its new journey into the fiery shores of the Mars-ruled cardinal sign, while Saturn remains in the sign of the fish until May 25th, 2025, and goes retrograde back into the waters of Pisces before the two of them can officially meet. While the two planets have already been hovering within close orb of each other, the exact conjunction will not occur until February 20th, 2026. This conjunction is significant enough to require another article of its own, so while this article may briefly touch upon it, it is important to note that there's a reason that this article is more focused on Neptune in Aries alone.
Neptune will stay in Aries until October 22nd 2025, when after stationing retrograde, it will dip back into the waters of Pisces, causing us to put on our rose-colored glasses once more. This will only last for about three months, however, when the blue planet will shake us awake from our reverie (or our nightmare, depending on how the transit has been affecting you personally) again on January 26th, 2026. It's second attempt at its current transit through the sign of the ram will last until May 21st, 2038, when the Roman Poseidon will briefly enter the sign of Taurus before retrograding back into Aries on October 21st of that same year. Then, Neptune's transit into Aries will "officially" end on March 23rd, 2039, when once it moves back into the sign of the bull, it will not return to the cardinal fire sign again for more than another 150 years. Basically, we'll need to make the most of this 14-ish-year period, because unlike many other transits, it truly is a once in a lifetime thing!
Neptune in Aries: General Meaning
Neptune's orbit around the Sun takes about 165 Earth-years to complete. It is what's known, to many astrologers, as a "generational planet." Its slow moving nature makes the position of zodiac sign less important for the individual as their entire age group. Like the other outer planets, Uranus & Pluto, all of which were discovered only after the invention of the telescope, Neptune is seen, by many astrologers, as a symbol of the collective consciousness. I plan to, at some point, write a more in-depth article about what each planet, including Neptune, signifies, as so far, I have only done for the Sun and Moon. However, to get a better idea of how Neptune's sign position can affect an entire generation, you can read my article about The Greatest Generation, where I discuss its transit through the signs of Cancer & Leo, for a real life example of Neptune's transit through those zodiac signs had an influence, not only on the world events of the time, but also, the collective consciousness of everyone born during that period! In any case, as a symbol of the collective consciousness, it is definitely an interesting & important planet to look at, especially when it comes to mundane astrology (i.e. the astrology of politics, world events & larger cycles that transcend the level of the individual).
To be more specific about Neptune's significations (in contrast to the power-driven Pluto or the liberatory nature of Uranus), Neptune is the most spiritual of all generational planets. The foggy blue planet named after the god of water is a fitting symbol for the world of dreams, the imagination, magic and symbolism itself. It is a symbol of oneness and mysticism, but also, illusion and delusion; as that famous quote (usually attributed to mythologist, Joseph Campbell) says, "the mystic is swimming in the same waters that the schizophrenic is drowning in." Essentially, Neptune dissolves whatever it touches. The boundaries, blockages and limitations (normally represented by Saturn) that typically separate us all fade away into the nothingness whenever Neptune is involved. The earthly world and the land of the divine become one and the same. All differences are blurred. Neptune makes me think of music, movies, literature, great art, even tarot. Basically, Neptune reminds one of emotions inherent within all of humanity, or even beyond it, those things that connect & unite us all regardless of superficial differences. It is no wonder Neptune is considered the "higher octave" of Venus.
Now that we've gone over Neptune's significations, let's discuss, more specifically, the meaning of Neptune in Aries, the ram, a cardinal fire sign ruled by Mars and often considered the "first" of the zodiac due to its association with the Spring Equinox. If Neptune in Pisces can be likened to a dream, Neptune in Aries is like that first cup of coffee, or maybe a shot of espresso, needed to get you up in the morning. It's like a new day, a fresh start, a reset of our collective dreams & goals. After our long sleep, we now feel refreshed, re-energized, awake, alive, alert and fully ready to do the work necessary for making those dreams a reality.
At the same time, however, if Neptune in Pisces dissolves the boundaries that separate us, melting humanity into one big ocean, Neptune in Aries will break that ice back up into little pieces once it freezes over, because while Pisces is associated with the collective, Aries is more concerned with individual. So, not only will this transit inspire us to assert our right to make our dreams real, but it will renew the faith we have in ourselves as unique individual selves. Autonomy and self-reliance will become our collective ideals, unifying us in our diversity.
We must not forget, too, however, that Aries is ruled by Mars, God of War, and a traditional signifier of masculinity. Neptune in Aries may represent the idealized male hero, or really, the idealization of individuals of any gender who are courageous, confident, decisive and strong. This transit favors those who happily take on the role of the pioneer, boldly going where no one has dared gone before and boldly claiming what they feel entitled to be theirs. If Neptune's transit through Pisces was a time for dreaming, as in thinking up new ideas and imagining the world that we want to create, Neptune in Aries is a time for actually doing it. No more sitting around now. It's time to take action! If you want that dream to be real, you've actually got to go for it!
Neptune in Aries: History ~ 1861-1875
The best way to make astrological predictions is by looking at history and seeing how these symbols have previously played out in real time. History seems to happen in cycles, and while the literal specifics may differ, in essence, what has happened in the past will usually happen again in the future.
Neptune's last transit through Aries began on April 13th, 1861. The American Civil War began literally just one day before. The United States was essentially split up into two different teams - the Union (or the North) and the Confederacy - who disagreed over whether slavery should be allowed or prohibited to expand into the western territories. This conflict ended in May 1865, with the dissolution of the Confederate States of America, and the abolition of slavery, a horrific racist and dehumanizing institution that allowed wealthy white people to "own" black people as property. All of this lines up with Neptune in Aries as a symbol of war, sovereignty, and the freedom of the individual realized as an important ideal. Likewise, while Neptune in Pisces is known for transcending boundaries, the re-unification of the United States of America is a good example of how Neptune in Aries can break them.
Similarly, on the other side of the Atlantic, the Neptune in Aries transit brought about the unification of Italy, a land previously divided into separate city-states, into a singular nation by 1870. The unification of Germany soon followed, becoming a nation in 1871, after the Franco-Prussian War and the collapse of the Second French Empire. Meanwhile, the states of Austria and Hungary merged into a dual monarchy, known as the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In Russia, serfdom was abolished by the tsar, Alexander the 2nd, and a genocide was launched against the Circassian people leading to the death of over 75% of their population, while in Spain, the unpopular Queen Isabella was overthrown in a revolution known as "La Gloriosa."
Meanwhile, the Asian continent underwent its own changes. This included the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which helped to transform Japan into a global imperial power, and the decline of China's Qing Dynasty due to British victory in the Second Opium War (how Neptunian). Again, we see either the breaking of national boundaries or the divisions of new ones, and a renewed drive within the population to fight for their ideals.
Apart from shaping new national & political boundaries, Neptune in Aries inspired new developments in other areas of culture. Aries is a fire-starter, a "pioneer," so with Neptune here, it should be no surprise that this transit brought about new beginnings in a variety of fields ranging from science & technology to the arts and everything in between. For example, this was an era of new frontiers in sports, which is an area that I'm surprised I have not seen discussed by other astrologers, in relevance to this transit, yet.
The connection between Neptune in Aries and new developments in sports makes a lot of sense, given that this sign, along with its planetary ruler, Mars, is associated with both athleticism and competition alike. For example, baseball became a professional sport, and while The Football Association was first formed in the UK, which paved the way for making true football (i.e. soccer) to become the world's most popular sport, the first "official" American football games were played by various North American colleges. Competitive team sports, such as these, allowed people (particularly men, at the the time, which makes sense given the cultural link made between Mars and traditional notions of "masculinity") to get their natural aggression out in a way that was more social acceptable. Perhaps, we could say that Neptune, being a planet of oneness & universality, united people through the invention of games & activities that favored Martial or Arian qualities, such as fitness, strength and physical stamina. Those less interested in competing and/or joining a team could develop and show off these qualities too, however. The first true bicycle had been developed at this time, and quickly became mass-produced, leading to a "bike craze" that spread throughout Europe & North America and lasted throughout Neptune's transit through the cardinal fire sign. Meanwhile, those in cold or snowy areas were also in luck, as the sport of skiing (as we know it) was first invented at this time.
Aries is, of course, a fire sign, so isn't it interesting that the London Fire Brigade started at this time? Interestingly, the first true submarine (i.e. one that did not rely on human power for propulsion) was developed during this time too, which falls more in line with Neptune's role as the God of the Sea. However, it also fits the reputation Aries has for starting new things, and it is important to note that the submarine is an instrument often used in warfare, also. While sort of on the subject of new modes of transportation, it's worth noting that the first underground railway was developed during this time, as well, in London UK (also known as "the Tube" or the London Underground, funny enough the same underground railway I used to take to work until recently). Meanwhile, the first transcontinental railway was built in the United States.
Of course, this was the era of invention, and Neptune's transit through Aries, a sign that we can associate with the fire of electricity, brought about plenty of new discoveries in the realm of science & technology. Perhaps, the most important would be the discovery of the relationship between magnetism, light and electricity itself... or maybe it was the invention of the periodic table of elements, so integral to modern chemistry. Similarly, the biologist & monk, Gregor Mendel's theories on biological inheritance were developed at this time, which became the basis for the study of modern genetics. Of course, Aries is not only the pioneer of the zodiac but the warrior too, and the inventions discovered during this era include Swedish chemist, Alfred Nobel's development of dynamite, so integral to modern weapons. However, Neptune in Aries inventiveness was not only about ending lives but saving them also. For example, in the field of medical astrology, Aries' ruling planet, Mars, is often associated with surgery, the act of cutting things open, and it's worth noting that the number of deaths from surgical infections greatly decreased during this period, all as a result of the surgical antiseptics invented by British surgeon, Joseph Lister. On a similar note, French chemist, Louis Pasteur advanced out understanding of germ theory by developing a technique for food preservation known as "pasteurization" which helped to decrease the number of deaths from foodborne-illness.
In the world of art, the wake-up call of Neptune in Aries was felt through the emphasis on realism. Realism was an artistic movement that, characteristic of the astrological transit that gave birth to it, arose in direct response to the Romanticism and Neoclassicism associated with the idealistic nature of Neptune in Pisces. This new wave of artists preferred to represent subject matter (i.e. whether still-lives, portraits or landscapes) accurately & truthfully, without pretense, focusing less on the imagination and more on an observant depiction of everyday life, particularly that of the lower and middle classes, whose lives were often glossed over. Here, artists tapped into the collective consciousness associated with Neptune by painting/drawing/etc. with the blunt honesty typical of Aries. Naturalism was a similar movement that gained popularity during this era.
A similar back-to-basics approach to the visual arts was found in the Impressionist movement. The Impressionist movement, however, was more about depicting the "impression" or "feeling" of the moment, placing less of an importance on capturing a realistic image and more of an emphasis on light, color, and the movement of strokes. That said, while it may seem very different from Realism or Naturalism, in this sense, it is similar in that the direct & instinctual nature of the Neptune in Aries spark is felt here, as well, just in a slightly different way.
This era produced many masterpieces in the world of literature, as well. As with the visual arts, realism was in fashion here too. This transit favored novelists whose work focused on an honest exploration of psychological & social themes, including that of class. This was the "golden age" of Russian literature that included the publication of Fyodor Dostoevsky's Crime & Punishment and Leo Tolstoy's War & Peace, along with many other great classics, while Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (which in true Neptunian fashion, would later inspire musicals) reflected the real-life problems experienced by people in France. On a more Neptunian note, Jules Verne's sci-fi classic, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, was inspired by the French Plongeur submarine spoken of before. Meanwhile, Lewis Carroll's publication of Alice in Wonderland was reflective of the more psychological adventures associated with Neptune in Aries. Despite their differences, what all these novelists have in common is that, true to the spirit of Neptune in Aries, their writing broke boundaries.
Musically, this was an era of brass marching band music and war songs, both characteristic of Neptune in Aries' martial spirit. It also saw the rise of ragtime, blues and gospel music in the wake of the American Civil War.
True to the pioneering spirit of Neptune in Aries, in the United States, this era likely marked the beginning of the American exploration of the "Wild West." Of course, this "pioneering spirit" had a very dark side. While this sparked romantic images (as is the spirit of Neptune) of free-roaming cowboys (remember, Neptune in Aries would be the idealized masculine hero), for white people to claim that "uncharted" territory as a land of their own necessarily required going to war with the Native American people who already lived there. Of course, this isn't to say that no good at all came from this exploration. For example, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming was established during this time, often understood to be the first national park in the world (!), with the American government vowing to protect its wildlife and overall eco-system (which included very unique features such geysers).
As for the fashion of the times, aside from the cowboy look, this was the height of the Victorian Era in UK & other parts of Europe, spreading to the U.S. as well. This look favored bold and visually striking outfits, such as bustles and corsets, with dramatic embellishments, which, I guess, mirrored the fiery individualism associated with Neptune in Aries.
Last but not least, we should talk about the religious trends associated with the era, since after all, Neptune is a planet associated with spirituality. Spirituality is probably more strongly associated with Neptune in Pisces, which during its last transit, brought movements such as Spiritualism and Transcendentalism, but obviously, remains a part of culture, no matter where Neptune is. So, how did spirituality differ during its transit through Aries? In the United States, many new Protestant Christian denominations emerged, including 7th-Day-Adventism. In the wake of the Civil War and continued racial discrimination, this also included many All-Black churches. The temperance (anti-drinking) movement gained popularity in many churches and was often linked to feminist, women's suffrage, abolitionist and even socialist movements for some reason. There seemed to be a lot of division in religious circles, which was probably a result of a divided political climate. Meanwhile, over in the land then-occupied by the Ottoman Empire, Baháʼu'lláh declared himself "the One whom God shall make Manifest" and established the Baháʼí Faith, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion that taught the essential worth of all religions and the unity of all people, which lead to persecution from the Ottoman government. Overall, though, the biggest theme of Neptune in Aries' influence on religion, seems to be using spirituality as a tool for action and activism rather than escapism, as well as separation between different denominations, reinforcing the use of religion as a means of national, cultural, and/or political identification for the individual.
Conclusion
More than anything else, I am interested in writing my predictions about what this current Neptune in Aries will potentially bring. These predictions will be informed by the general meaning of Neptune in Aries, of course, as well as taking history into account. I also wanted to include information about the Neptune in Aries ingress chart, as well as the aspects made to other planets throughout its transit. However, the write-up for this will have to wait for part 2 of this article.
Why the wait? Well, it turns out that I had more to say about the history of Neptune's last transit through Aries than I initially thought. In the past, I would have just written one big article, and that was my original intent, but due to the short (and ever-decreasing!) attention span of most internet users (including myself, of course!), I've had to re-think that. Basically, I'd just hate for the most interesting/important part of the article to be that one section at the bottom that no one reads.
Very good read Kaitlyn Maura! Excellent mundane history on Neptune in tropical Aries. Looking forward to part two. Theodore White