Outer planets in our solar system take longer to orbit the sun than Earth does, being farther away from its gravitational pull. Neptune has been in retrograde since July and will continue to orbit in that fashion until January.
Since Neptune entered Aries on March 30th, you may have felt an inner call to redefine your identity. A surge of revolutionary energy may have ignited bold visions or idealistic pursuits. But when Neptune turned retrograde in Aries on July 4th, that clarity may have blurred, creating tension between your urge to act and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. On October 22nd, Neptune slid back into Pisces, offering one final opportunity to dive beneath the surface and reclaim hidden treasures — or gently close the chapters that no longer serve you.
From now until January 26, 2026, the focus shifts to surrender and spiritual integration. This is a chance to absorb the lessons not only of the past three months, but of the entire 15-year Neptune-in-Pisces cycle that began in April 2011. After this, Neptune won’t return to Pisces for another 165 years.
When Neptune drifted into Pisces on April 4, 2011, it opened a portal into the collective subconscious. Both Neptune and Pisces rule dreams, empathy, and illusion. Together, they softened the edges between the mystical and the mainstream. Astrology, tarot, and talk therapy surged into popularity as self-inquiry became a shared obsession. Millennials and Gen Z brought mental health into the algorithm, turning “shadow work” and “trauma responses” into everyday language.
As spirituality fused with technology, our inner worlds went digital, manifesting in parasocial bonds with creators and curated “higher selves” filtered through Instagram lenses. Neptune in Pisces skewed reality in more ways than one. Artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and virtual influencers like Hollywood’s AI-born actress Tilly Norwood emerged as uncanny embodiments of this transit’s dream logic. And now, ChatGPT has become everyone’s imaginary friend — equal parts oracle, mirror, and muse.
Neptune — planet of dreams, illusions, and the unseen — turns retrograde each year for roughly five months. During this reversal, we’re invited to step back from the noise of daily life and turn inward. But be mindful, the planet also governs escapism, and its retrograde can stir the temptation to retreat into old patterns or unhealthy coping mechanisms. The most aligned response? Choose conscious stillness. This is a potent time to deepen your self-awareness, especially in areas that feel murky, overwhelming, or out of control.
This phase also deepens your contemplation. Life may feel like a giant reflecting pool as soothsayer Neptune goes retrograde in its home sign of Pisces. Prepare to wade into your subconscious until the oceanic planet resumes forward motion. Therapy, intentional ceremonies, and energy work may help you tap into the farthest reaches of your subconscious.
This should be familiar terrain though, as Neptune has been moving through Pisces since 2011 and retrogrades here annually. But this chapter is nearing its close. On January 26, 2026, the planet will leave Pisces for good and begin its journey through Aries, where it will remain until 2039.
This is Neptune’s last retrograde lap through Pisces in our lifetimes. You may find yourself craving closure on longstanding issues. If that can’t happen through conversation, you may have to step away from situations that keep pulling you into self-defeating patterns.
This is a time of reckoning and release. It doesn’t just stir dreams, it forces a confrontation with illusion. What once felt comforting or idealized may now reveal its edges, asking us to see with sharper clarity.
It’s a time for spiritual reflection, creative breakthroughs, and the courageous act of letting go. There will be a powerful focus on endings — on closing chapters, dissolving outdated patterns, and preparing the soul for what’s next. The fog lifts, and with it comes truth. Not always easy, but necessary.
Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.