In True Blood (incidentally I stopped watching a couple of seasons ago…) the vampires glamor their prey.

By glamor I don’t mean they dressed them up and popped some make up on them, I mean that they somehow enchant their prey, delude them, disorient them, break down all of their defences.

This is what happens when you meet Neptune in the chart of another. You’re Neptunified- or rather, that part of your chart is.

Wow.

Neptune contacts can be like that.

Take Jack and Jill* as an example.

The contact was Sun (Jill) trine Neptune (Jack).  There was one back the other way too- Sun (Jack) conjunct Neptune (Jill). The aspects were easy. They glamored each other.  It was like she was under some sort of spell- so was he…and there was absolutely no sense or logic to it.

She felt like he had gotten right into her soul. He had her on a pedestal, but had no idea why or how she’d got there.

Of course none of it was real. It was also complicated- both were married, so knew it could go nowhere. Each represented what the other felt was missing in their relationship.

When it’s new, a Neptune romance is soft and magical- rather like you’ve been gently sprinkled with pink fairy dust. You exist in your own little champagne bubbly world without awareness of the consequences.

When the rose coloured haze that clouded their eyes faded, what was left was, well, a rather disappointing reality. Although they had some nice personal planet-personal planet contacts happening, there was nothing in the synastry to indicate anything more than a fling.

When the end came, it was like waking from a dream- although the fall was much more dramatic than that.

Neptune falls can be like that.

They can also be as gentle as letting go of a balloon and watching it float away out of your reach.

Jill says she still dreams about Jack.

Anyways, at it’s best, a Neptune contact with another inspires you, it touches you spiritually, it uplifts you, it sensitizes you and it enchants you.

At its worst, a Neptune contact with another deceives you, weakens you, deludes you, confuses you and wreaks havoc. This happens often at the same time as you’re being inspired, sensitized, uplifted and enchanted…

For the non Neptune person, for at least a time, the part of their chart being Neptunified becomes very Piscean indeed. If you’re natally not very Piscean, ie few personal planets in Pisces, in the 12^th house or with close aspects to Neptune, you may find this contact uncomfortable- without really knowing why.

So, you’re being Neptunified by the perfect man or woman. What do you do? Let go immediately? Run screaming for the hills?

Even if it doesn’t work out, Neptune contacts are the ones that you talk about with your girlfriends for many years after. If it does last,it’s the love story you’ll be telling your grandkids about.

The time to run is if you find yourself in a co dependent relationship or a situation where you’re being exploited…Neptune contacts can be like that too.

When Neptune is involved, there is no straight answer.

If you can, take the glasses off, and take a clear eyed view and ask yourself whether you’re projecting something onto him (or her) that is your thing, your ideal- not his.

Many times a Neptune contact will bring you together, cast a spell across early intimacy- but it’s the other contacts that will keep the relationship going long after the fairy dust has cleared.

Be aware too if you are glamoring someone else.

Very often this isn’t a physical thing (although often with Neptune/Venus or Neptune/Mars it can be…). To someone out there, you might be a Goddess.

If you are, be gentle and sensitive regarding their feelings, taking care to inspire rather than weaken.

In the wrong hands, a little too much Neptune can easily turn into a tool for manipulation and exploitation- you have been warned!

*names changed to protect the (not so) innocent.

Think this is you?

Take a look at his chart. Do any of your personal planets (Sun-Mars, in particular) aspect his Neptune? Keep the aspects at about 5 degrees, and stick to the traditional aspects.

What about the other way? Do any of his personal planets aspect your Neptune?

The fine print:

• Synastry contacts between two people who are not yet together are not a promise that they ever will be together- it is, however, a promise of a possibility of what could happen if they ever did get together.
• A Neptune contact does not mean that you’re destined to be together, hook up or even pass the time of day, but if you do, it will feel as if you have a soul connection.
• Very often Neptune contacts remain a fantasy simply because the idea of shattering the dream and taking the risk is way too scary… and no, this doesn’t mean that yours will be unrequited, just that…oh whatever…

And the title? Under the Influence by Kylie Minogue…take a listen…

Related Posts

Something about rose coloured glasses, romance & realism- Venus square Neptune

I really want you- Venus/Neptune transits

I’m on holidays at the moment, so here’s one I prepared earlier… Keep up with the latest in my travels over at and anyways…

A kiss on the hand can be quite continental and oh so romantic, but no matter how charming, it won’t pay the rent.

Any self respecting Venus in Taurus girl knows that as lovely as it is, romance fades, but diamonds don’t, and living in this material world, a girl needs to make sure that her future is beautifully and practically catered for. After all, men grow cold as girls grow old and we all lose our charms in the end…or rather as the years and Mr Gravity mean that our ends have to be stuffed into highly engineered hold everything in under lycra. But square cut or pear shape these rocks don’t lose their shape and diamonds are a girls best friend.

Aries will fight for love, Pisces will die for love, Gemini will talk about love, but Venus in Taurus really can’t be faffed with all the palaver.

Love is nice and all that, but it can take up so much energy. Venus in Taurus much prefers a strong, stable and committed relationship. Touch rather than talk, comfort rather than flames, security over drama.

Where Venus in Aries is about quick gratification, Venus in Taurus likes to take her time. Venus in Taurus is sensual rather than sexual and is generally a same partner girl- this is one placement that doesn’t (usually) get turned on by too much variety.

As practical as she is, Venus in Taurus likes to be wooed in the traditional meaning of the word. She loves long, expensive dinners that she can dress up for and linger over. Also earning good brownie points are lazy Sunday afternoon country picnics with rugs and scarves and proper crockery and utensils (leave the stubby holders and paper plates at home).

She values consistency and commitment and although slow to move, will do whatever is needed to hold onto her partner or her security- often she sees the two as being intertwined. She also knows how easy it is to get carried away by a pretty face who will drain her resources, rather than help her stock the pantry (or bank account) against future shortages.

In Taurus, Venus cares about her appearance more so than when she was in Aries. As Taurus rules the throat, scarves, pendants and necklaces are great accessories. Luxury is appreciated, but she isn’t flashy or blingy. She’ll wear a single great piece of jewellery rather than a mountain of fakes…and she is prepared to save up for it.

Venus in Taurus loves beautiful things- art, music, food and other gorgeous things. Whilst she is a lover of art, she doesn’t do alternative or artisan- if it isn’t going to look great on her walls or make some sort of statement of style or worth, she isn’t interested. Leave the debates over existentialism and whether that white space indicates a vacuum or simply a white space to Gemini.

Depending on other aspects, Venus in Taurus can be prone to over-accumulate (especially if in challenging aspects to Jupiter or the Moon) … just to be sure that she has enough and won’t run out. This can apply to food, to purchases, whatever. This tendency can also come out if she feels insecure- particularly in relationships. And what she has, she is reluctant to get rid of…just in case…

Venus in Taurus is the ultimate comfort eater/ shopper and will tend to those foods which good in the mouth, look great on the plate and smell wonderful- all the senses are engaged when she eats. She is particularly drawn to anything texturally luxuriant and sweet- chocolate, cream, cakes. Unfortunately Taurus tends to have a relatively slow metabolism and doesn’t (usually) enjoy exercise, so the smart Ms Taurus knows that such self-indulgence needs to be moderated where possible if she wants to continue to fit into her gorgeous clobber.

Mr Venus in Taurus loves the whole feminine archetype and tends to be attracted more to the image of romantic ruben-esque than wafer thin waif. He has an appetite and likes a woman with voluptuous curves in all the right places that he can take his time and enjoy. Mr Venus in Taurus likes a traditional, conservative woman, an earth mother. He doesn’t really want his partner to be too independent and likes to know that she will provide a stable platform for him.

The good news is that once he has committed, he rarely strays from home and won’t push you into the latest fad diet- heaven forbid- that could mean you putting him on one, and Mr Venus in Taurus likes his food too much to tolerate restrictions.

Mr Venus in Taurus doesn’t do complicated mind games- to him, if you say you are “fine”, he will take it at face value. He doesn’t like change, so suggestions to vary routines or stray from favourite restaurants will be greeted with suspicion. Unfortunately this also means that you may have problems getting him off the couch and away from the TV on weekends once the honeymoon period is over. At least you’ll know where he is.

Venus and Mars are currently together in the Mars ruled fire sign of Aries. While the conjunction won’t be exact for 24 hours, they are at the same degree now and the energy will be with us for the next few days.

What does this mean?

At it’s most basic it means that what you want and the energy you’re prepared to put in to get it are aligned. That has to be a good thing….right?

It depends…doesn’t it always?

Mars and Venus are the archetypal male and female energies, so whenever they meet up, there is a passionate, sexual energy to it.  Hold that thought.

Any planet in Aries has their behaviour altered by Aries. It’s how they operate for that period of time.

In Mars ruled Aries, Venus behaves in a way that is not comfortable for her. She’s impulsive, she’s competitive, she’s determined, she’s challenging and she’s not at all passive. She’s an Amazon…she’s Wonder Woman…she’s Xena…and she’s prepared to do what it takes to get what she wants.

She’s not a princess- that’s not a bad thing, but she isn’t the typical feminine archetype. She’s something very different and completely wonderful.

Mars in Aries is, however, the quintessential male archetype.

So when the two come together in Aries, sparks will fly in a mighty, mighty way.

There’s also likely to be competition.

Competition, when healthy is not a bad thing. However, if you find yourself butting heads for the sake of butting heads or the sake of having the last word, it might be time to take a step back and look for a position of cooperation or compromise. Check that you’re fighting a battle that’s worth fighting, rather than fighting for the sake of fighting…or for the sake of making up. I’ll leave that one with you. Be clear, I’m talking about the clashing of two independent wills here.

The other thing about Aries is the ego.

The Sun is exalted in Aries, so ego is an especially big deal. And one of the best ways to satisfy our ego is through relationship with another.

Here’s the thing, these stars are great for starting something new, for having some fun, but, unless there is something else happening of a significant nature in your chart, a Venus/Mars conjunction will not usually be enough to signify a game changing relationship. This is especially the case in Aries, where things are done and decisions are made on impulse. If you’re starting something new with someone new under this transit, bear that in mind.

Another way in which we express ourselves is through creativity- and we are all creative in some way. Whether you express yourself through words, pictures, art, photography, dance, music, cooking or doing something for others, it’s still self expression…and self expression is creative.

Above all, in Aries, don’t over think it. Aries energy is enthusiastic and vital so you know what? JFDI- Just Flipping Do It!

Warning for non astro peeps- the next 1000 or so words contain terms of a technical nature…if you’re easily bored, turn away now!

First, the important stuff:

• As with all return charts, the Venus Return can be read on its own and with reference to the natal chart.
• The Venus Return doesn’t occur predictably. In 2010, my Venus Return occurred in March, in 2011it was in April, in 2012 it occurred in February. The frequency will depend on the Venus cycle and any retrograde periods. Speaking of which…

If Venus is retrograde around the time of your return, you may have 3 returns in that year. Each return will only last until the next. How cheated would you feel if you get a great Venus Return, only for it to expire when Venus goes retrograde? Just saying…

Check out what’s happening with Venus

What house is it in?

What aspects are being made by Venus?

In my example, Venus is a busy lady. Sitting right on the Ascendant, this year it’s all about me…but we already knew that- right? Besides, Venus on the Ascendant or the Midheaven or tightly conjunct the Sun or Mars always indicates a busy Venus year. Check, check and check.

Conjunct the Sun and Mars, this should be a year when my desires are easier to achieve- in theory.

What sign is on the Return Ascendant?

This year it’s Aries.

What part of the natal chart is brought to the Return Ascendant?

The 2^nd house. Money, possessions, values, self-esteem. This is the home of natal Venus for me, so my natal Venus themes are being reinforced.

What is the ruling planet of the Return chart?

I use the traditional rulerships.

For my chart, this is Mars. Mars in Aries is in excellent shape.

Are there any planets on the angles?

Anything on the angles is important- it’s that simple. The nature of the planet will give you clues. Venus will be operating through these planets.

In my chart? The Ascendant is busy. Enough said.

Check out what’s happening with Mars

Venus is the natural partner to Mars. If they are in harmony, that’s great- so are your desires and what you are prepared to do to satisfy them. The male and female energies are balanced. There will be periods of relaxation and appreciation in the energy of achievement. Venus brings an awareness of the impact of our actions on others- gives us reason to pause and reflect every now and again…even if, like me, your Venus is in Aries and is, shall we say, a little more self centred than most.

Look for any aspect- even a square will be dynamic potential.

What about the Moon?

This will tell you about where your heart is in relation to, well, matters of the heart.

The Moon is conjunct Neptune in Pisces in the 11^th- the house of hopes and dreams. This house has figured prominently in all of my return charts this year…which brings me to my next point…

***Keep an eye open for any repeating themes across your various return charts***

The asterisks mean this is important!

Are any natal planets being brought to the angles of the return chart?

Yes. Venus. To the Ascendant.

Check out also:

Any planets at a critical degree ie 0 or 29.

Any planets being brought to the degree of the natal nodes.

Any obvious patterns in the chart- ie are the planets splashed all around or focused in a couple of houses?

Any obvious patterns in element or mode? Are the planets across all elements or modalities or focused on just one or two?

How do I cast a Venus Return chart?

I’m fortunate- I use Solarfire- an astrology software program that allows me to simply select the return option.

If you don’t have access to this, you can still get a pretty good result using astro.com. It’s a bit of a palaver, but it can be done.

• You’ll need to know the exact degree and minute of Venus in your chart. As an example, mine falls at 19 Aries 31’. Cast your birth chart on astro.com (using these instructions) first.
• You’ll need access to an ephemeris. This tells you the planetary position of all planets as at midnight UT. There’s one on astro.com.
• Find the approximate position of your Venus. In the screenshot below you can see that Venus is at 18 Aries 28’ at midnight on April 6 and 19 Aries 42’ at midnight on April 7. Naturally you’ll need to adjust the time for where you are.

• Venus is currently moving, therefore, at a speed of around 1 degree and 14 minutes, ie 74 minutes of arc each 24 hours. This equates to just over 3 minutes of arc each hour.
• Using this estimation, I can estimate that Venus will be at 19 Aries 31’ somewhere between 8 and 9pm (UT) on April 6. This equates to some time between 6 and 7am on April 7 here in Aus (daylight saving has finished).
• Play around with the chart times in astro.com until you get Venus at the right degree and minute.
• Again using the calculation above, if Venus moves 3 minutes of arc each hour, she will be at 19 Aries 31’ for around 20 minutes. In that same time the Ascendant will move by approx 4 degrees. Sure you won’t be completely accurate, but this is pretty darned close…and better than nothing.

Venus conjunct Venus.

When transiting Venus is exactly conjunct natal Venus.

The Venus Return.

Venus. The planet that governs relationships, relating…the planet that influences the things that make us feel good. Venus is how we decorate ourselves, where we find beauty, the things that make us feel and look more attractive…indeed, Venus is about the way in which we attract.

It stands to reason then that the day on which Venus returns to her natal position should be a day when we’re guaranteed to feel good about ourselves. Right? At least a good hair day? Yes? A day filled with joy and love? A day when you might go shopping, have a party, buy some gorgeous things. It’s a day when even in the greyest of moods you should be able to find a shimmer of light. A day in which you will feel pretty, oh so pretty.

In theory, yes.

I don’t have a great record with Venus Returns.

Not in a good hair day way, anyway.

In the past few years, it’s been the day when my nose has been red from my annual cold, or I’ve been house (or office) bound for some reason. A few years ago on my Venus Return I slammed a finger in a fire door in a hotel in Hong Kong with such force that I lost the nail and got a nasty, very manky infection requiring my first bout of antibiotics in about 20 years.

But then natally my Venus isn’t the type that generally feels pretty oh so pretty. Aries in Venus might be ready for battle, but a princess she ain’t.

Anyways, the Venus Return is a new start for all things Venusian. It’s like a reboot. It recharges anything Venusian in your life. It also recharges those natal Venus aspects you have- both the easy and the challenging ones.

It sets the themes for your love life, social life, appearance, the way you feel about yourself and even your finances- at least until the next Venus Return comes around.

Here’s the thing. As with all “forecasting” methods, the Venus Return has to be read in conjunction with the promise of the natal chart. There’s no point predicting a great social life if you never leave the house.

Which brings me to my next point- also common to all “forecasts”…you have to do your bit.

You can have the greatest Venus Return in history, the greatest promise for new relationship, but if you’re never going to leave the house or open yourself truly and honestly to the possibility of love, it isn’t going to happen.

It’s a little like all my returns this year show great promise for things to start moving on the publishing and self employed front for me- but that will only happen if I finish my manuscripts, make them as good as they can be, actively fight for what I want. I need to harness the best of my Venus, don my battle gear and get out there.

My Venus Return also shows great potential to improve my appearance- but that won’t just magically happen…more’s the pity. I have to help it along a little. Heavy sighs.

What I’m saying is that you’ve got to give the Universe a bit of a helping hand sometimes…you know, buy the lottery ticket, don’t just dream of winning it.

Anyways, onto the Venus Return.

Mine is tomorrow, so here’s an idea… let’s use that to illustrate… tomorrow…

Related posts:

Mercury Returns

Mars Returns

Solar Returns Part 1

Solar Returns Part 2