Neptune has always been my favorite of the three distant outer planets. You might even say I have a Neptune-infused fascination for the planet. As this celestial body inches slowly along the outer edges of our solar system it exudes an elusive yet strong persuasive influence. An undertow that can be soothing or sinister. Neptune is a fitting esoteric symbol for the shadowy, nebulous, and oblique. The keywords/attributes often applied to Neptune are: escapism, immersion, addiction, compulsion, obsession, veiled, intuition, telepathic, paranormal, whimsical, creativity, fanciful, enchantment, visionary, deception, delusion, ambiguous, distorted, illusory, subtle, evasive, refined.
Recently, I’ve been entertaining the idea that nostalgia is also a significant attribute of the Neptunian signature. The etymology of the word nostalgia displays an interesting transference of meaning from "morbid longing to return to one's home or native country, severe homesickness considered as a disease” (circa 1726) to the more modern meaning (since the 1920s) of “wistful yearning for the past.”
The embodiment, experience, and concept of nostalgia can be folded neatly into many of the keywords listed in my first paragraph, much like you would fold softened butter into cookie dough. One can easily observe how nostalgia runs as a strong current on its own, a robust current that permeates the human world through an array of avenues. A pulse of influence with a potent signature.
Nostalgia can be a warm bath of indulgent memories, or the healing experience of gentle escapism such as rereading a book beloved in childhood, or rewatching favorite movies and shows. Preparing and eating one of your grandmother’s favorite recipes can act as an offering to your ancestors, yes, but this meal can also be spiced with nostalgic sensations and memories. Scent prompts the resurfacing of a lost memory, and a random old photograph can launch a nostalgic ride on a train of thoughts and emotions.
There are individuals who make up groups of a retro/vintage social set. They adorn themselves and recreate the décor of their homes in a 1940s/1950s retro/vintage style. This creative self-expression and the way they choose to move through the world is an inspired and spirited engagement with a bygone era. This is also another expression of the Neptunian current of nostalgia.
Yet even the most blissful or restful nostalgic indulgence contains within it a riptide that can pull you under. Playful immersion can develop into unhealthy or desperate escapism, a desire and a need to avoid facing the present or dealing with day-to-day realities. This is the provocative flipside to the Neptunian rhythms.
From the manufactured nostalgia angle, we see the repetitive loop of film and series reboots that keep coming out of Hollywood. There are also the manufactured trends running through the cultural and societal landscape via the internet and media that tout vintage-themed everything: food and cocktail recipes, fashion, themed events and parties, reunion concerts, the rebranding of classic stories to appeal to today’s audience, to name a few.
The profit-based motivation of the corporate conglomerates churning out manufactured nostalgia relies on activating in individuals that “wistful yearning for the past” which compels (manipulates) individuals to partake in (purchase) what’s being produced. A cynical perspective, yes, but I’ve no loyalty to the soulless mechanisms of corporate capitalism (which, by the way, do sit snugly at home within some of the planet’s adverse attributes.)
The linking of Neptune and the experiences of nostalgia in the human world fit using either the sidereal system (where Neptune just transited from Aquarius into Pisces) or the tropical system (Neptune at around 25 degrees Pisces). Both systems offer plenty to contemplate. Two prongs, same trident.
Looking beyond your natal placement of Neptune and its aspects, beyond the transiting placement of Neptune and its aspects to other planets or luminaries, how often do you participate in or observe or notice an element of nostalgia running through your life? However far away it sits in the Cosmos, that Neptunian signature is ever-present, no matter how subtle. Through the specific current of nostalgia, Neptune is always radiating an enticing invitation to engage.
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