It's Astro-Logical -- practical advice for conscious living ---> Issue #68

Mars in Gemini has formed the departing square with
Neptune in Pisces at 18°. This lasts into Mid-May.

The theme of this pattern

Camouflaged actions.

Who are the players
and what are they doing?

Mars = physical energy, action, assertion

Neptune = secrets, privacy concerns, confidential issues, hidden data

Departing squares = surreptitious behavior you may consider "nobody's business," things done to protect vulnerabilities in your private life / family / history

What's happening?

First of all, afflicted Neptune energy drains, hides, clouds or misdirects the energy of the aspect partner. Neptune energy can do this to some extent even when it's in a benevolent aspect ... or, in other words, in pretty good shape.

Remember how tired and unmotivated, how brain-fogged and weary we all were recently? Mercury (mind) and Venus (values) were conjunct (lined up exactly with) Neptune at that time.

While the outcome of that alignment will ultimately be very positive, the outward evidence of all this looked and felt very odd at the time. Neptune is the absolute master of indirect action -- and the psychological adjustments of his action back then rendered you sleepy, vague, unable to focus, etc., while the magic he had in mind took hold and settled in.

There can be a strange element reminiscent of "brainwashing" associated with Neptune. You simply have to trust his motives -- which I admit is not always easy -- because you cannot avoid them ... and you can actually cause serious harm if you try.

Like all the other Inner Selves, positive Neptune energy always has your best interests at heart. Negative Neptune may also provide that in the end, but wow, some of his methods are weird and unsettling.

I have to say my relationship with Neptune and his work is ... wary. He opposes the Sun in my chart. I have to really work to understand him -- and appreciate his contributions. He doesn't exactly cooperate in this -- which is exactly what you'd expect from the relationship I just described.

We aren't exactly friends and we aren't exactly antagonists, but we are definitely some of each -- constantly. And the fact that he is destined to "win" our confrontations really rubs my Aries soul wrong. (Said in the interests of full disclosure.)

But let's talk specifically about this Mars / Neptune issue that's made an appearance. When Neptune monkeys with Mars (or vice versa) it affects your behavior, your actions, your candor ... often for reasons you can't fully justify or explain, nor do you want to.

Mars square Neptune shows there's something going on in your mind, in your world, in your inner landscape, or "backstage" that you don't want to reveal or examine or justify.

Your concern for privacy may range from simply deflecting intrusive questions or keeping "certain information" away from prying eyes to becoming a hot button issue that you will go absolutely ballistic over if you learn someone is poking around in areas you consider personal. Even you may consider your paranoia exaggerated, but there it is nevertheless -- and you want people to leave it alone.

We all keep secrets of course, and what's behind your behavior with this can be anything from altruistic (you're trying to help or support someone quietly -- and you don't want them to find out) to defensive (you want to remove certain parts of your world, your past, etc., from outside scrutiny, or you want to conceal information you consider "unseemly" for some reason) to self-protective (you don't want to come clean about something you've done, possibly for selfish or questionable reasons) to "a matter of life-and-death" (you're covering up something that is possibly or undeniably criminal.)

So -- you get the range of what I'm describing. And often the truth -- or the judgment -- of what you're doing is depends entirely on your motives. Are you keeping secrets because you don't want to needlessly worry someone who is relying on you (really?) ... or are you cheating them ... or cheating on them ... or are you doing something that could ruin your relationship ... or your whole interconnected life ... if (or when) the truth comes out?

Issues like these may be ones you need to confront -- and at least be clear on yourself. If possible. Neptune is not your friend here, I promise. He may help you keep things under wraps -- for a while. But he also rules something called ... Karma.

What to expect?

• You don't feel able to achieve -- or go after -- something you want openly, honestly, directly -- so you come at it sideways ... or "round the back way"

• You may spend a lot of time and energy avoiding / explaining / excusing / denying something you do not want to face.

• You do things to create "distance" between you and something you want to deny ... or conceal ... or forget. (Remember your politics? It's not the actual crime that causes the problem, in the end. It's the cover-up.)

• You find yourself caught up in psychological turmoil and behavior you don't understand or that you don't want to own -- like paranoia, compulsions, obsessions, etc.

• You do things you want to keep "strictly personal" -- for whatever reason. (You don't want to have to answer a whole lot of questions.)

• You do something where you absolutely do not want to get caught. (Something that may affect your standing, reputation, etc.)

• You do something to "game the system" ... something that amounts to cheating or that gains you an unfair advantage.

• You want to "get away with something" -- and you either feel smug and smart about it ... or you feel ashamed of yourself and guilty.

I'll leave it to you to decide where this behavior is affecting you. You are doing (or strongly considering) something you want to conceal from someone -- or justify to yourself. Whether you literally act on the impulse or not ... the impulse is there. (And in the spirit of "Have you stopped beating your wife?" -- the impulse itself may be what you want to conceal.)

The 8 Pillars of TribeSteemUp

#thesteemengine #thealliance #qurator #tribesteemup