Neptune in Esoteric Astrology

(Artwork by Kagaya)

Esoteric Ruler of Cancer

Planet of the Sixth Ray

Neptune is a most mystical and, from the level of the Soul, a most benefic influence in one’s life. Neptune is the expression in the solar system of the ~heart of the spiritual Sun~. It is the planet most closely linked with the work of the Soul in manifestation and is thus the vehicle for the Christ consciousness, which is indeed at the Heart of Divinity. Through Cancer, Neptune may be thought of as the higher octave of the Moon. The latter is the Mother of All Forms, but form is always used in our solar system to express Love/Wisdom, the Second Ray, the Soul aspect of Spirit. We know this to be, when manifesting in the Human Kingdom, ~Love Incarnate~ - the indwelling Christ Principle.

This Principle is most important, as it functions on two levels; personal and collective. On the personal level, the indwelling Christ Principle is our Soul - more particularly, that aspect of the Soul which is Love. It is this facet of our self that we pray to and evoke for healing, nurturing and spiritual sustenance. Collectively, it is the indwelling Christ Principle in humanity which, when evoked, brings forth these healing properties from mankind. We can see this in action when huge sums of money are collected on charity telethons and through such events in the 1980’s as the Live Aid and Band aid concerts.

The Moon veils Neptune just as, in the mass consciousness (Cancer) form veils the subjective love alive within the form. Yet in traditional astrology, the veil is taken to ~be~ Neptune and the illusion, or mask of form, is seen to be the influence of this planet. This is not the true essence or function of the ~God of the Waters~, for Neptune comes to us from the Soul level as the Initiator, Planet of the Christ. It’s trident is symbolic of the Trinity (Shiva-Vishnu-Brahma; Father-Mother-Son; Will-Love-Intelligence); it’s recent purpose, to serve as the stimulator of the Piscean Age.

Neptune holds a very important place in the Aquarian Age. The goal of human evolution is to produce the Messiah, the Initiate, the Mahdi, the Coming One. This is a cyclic event which resulted two thousand years ago in the birth, passion and eternal contribution of Lord Jesus during the last World Era.

In the Aquarian Age, the World Disciple is to be Humanity, and the Coming One comes through each of us, the collective impact of which is World Goodwill, realised by group endeavour and spiritual intent.

Neptune through Cancer, births the Christ Consciousness in every man and woman, connecting each of us to the passion of our own initiatic process, crucifying us on the Fixed Cross of Discipleship, and resurrecting us in the loving and wise consciousness of our Soul.

In the light of the above, we can see that Neptune is closely related to three signs and their rulers; Cancer and the Moon; Pisces and Pluto; Scorpio and Mars. Cancer is the sign of birth, of generation, and the urge to manifest in form. This urge is so strong that it magnetises the Soul into a form {Moon} of expression, and gives rise to physical incarnation. This ~sacrifice~ of the soul into the ~death which is material life~ is under the impulse of the planet Neptune. It is devotion to the Plan and to the Christ-like principle of self-sacrifice which brings the Soul to Earth. There is much to contemplate here which is analagous to the ~Father giving of His only Son~ and reveals most clearly that each of us is a Son or Daughter of our Cosmic Parent. It is when we remove our identification with the form that the veil masking our own essential divinity is lifted and we come face to face with the Soul which is our Self.

The process of this realisation is closely connected to Mars and Scorpio. As Mars is also a planet of the Sixth Ray, it has a very close affinity to Neptune. The latter can be vied as a higher octave of Mars, though the term ~the redeemer of Mars~ might be more appropriate. As we know, Neptune is connected to the waters of the astral plane, but it is also a strong influence on the expression of the heart, as it represents the Heart of the Sun, or Divine Love in manifestation. Mars is also connected to the astral plane, as it is the planet of desire-in-action, and thus the vehicle for the creation of karma on the emotional/desire level. On the level of the personality, Mars is the ruler of the solar plexus centre, which is very closely aligned to the use or abuse of the personal will as it manifests through the realm of personal desires.

Once the individual has mounted the Fixed Cross, the wheel of life enters into a phase of tension, signified by the need to reorient one’s life values and treat the Path of Return. Mars then becomes the formidable vehicle for the one-pointed Disciple, who undertakes all the necessary tests and trials in order to become first the observer and then the server. Neptune is the energy of devotion and self sacrifice, which this time manifests in the personality giving itself up to the Soul.

This is the Path of the passion and the crucifixion. In the stages of initiation, this combination of Neptune and Mars (and the influence of the Sixth Ray) is connected to the Second Initiation. This great step in our growth involves the detachment from the solar plexus (and the influence of Mars on this level) and the reorientation of the influences of the astral plane and the solar plexus to the desires of the soul and the needs of the Heart. This produces an intensification of transpersonal love and increases the desire for the generation of the Christ Self.

Once this overshadowing of Mars by Neptune takes place, a major change occurs in our lives. We find that out previous compulsive attachments and addictive desire patterns no longer keep us enthralled. We rapidly begin to develop new trends toward higher, more subtler and more spiritual goals and aspirations. We identify more with the hidden, spiritual essence of life than with the material physical forms which that life takes. The latter are used as tools of convenience in order to express spiritual goals and principles.

This expression of one’s devotion to Love/Wisdom (Neptune and the Sixth Ray) has a direct ~passageway~ into the physical world through Cancer’s expression of the Seventh Ray. We should note that Capricorn/Saturn is also on the Seventh and gives the necessary structure to these forms as they align themselves with the Will of the Plan, Aries (the third Seventh Ray sign).

Neptune is the exoteric ruler of Pisces, whilst Pluto is the esoteric ruler of this sign, as well as the exoteric co-ruler of Scorpio. When Neptune is functioning from the level of the lower self, the energies of Mars, the lower astral plane, and the desire nature of Scorpio are brought into full play. This combination produces that blinding glamour and illusion (maya) so closely associated with the Fish and its exoteric ruler.

The combination of Neptune and Pluto on the Soul level gives tremendous potency to the fusion of Will and Love. From 1943 to 1993, these two planets were in sextile to each other. The generations form with this 60-degree angle of relationship have the potential to produce a harmonious link between these two planets and their respective Rays. A study of the angular relationship from Uranus to these bodies can also prove to be very revealing about the collective purpose of our peers, children, and (for those born in the 1960s, 1970s, or 1980s) parents - the three generations of ~First Born Children of the New Age~.

~The fish goddesses who have leapt from Earth (Virgo) to water {Pisces} unitedly give birth to the Fish God (Christ) who introduces the water of life into the ocean of substance and thus brings light to the world. Thus does Neptune work~ Alice Bailey - Esoteric Astrology

(Reference Alan Oken)

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