Part 2: The Aries Vortex

Understanding Saturn and Neptune in Aries is the key to 2025-2026

This is Part 2 of my three-part series on our Wet, Hot, Wild 2025 Summer. Check out Part 1 here.

Last week I explained how we’re in the middle of a home renovation and 2025-2026 is the deconstruction era. We have to remove the old structures, wallpaper, art, furniture, and even — perhaps — entire rooms. If something doesn’t serve us, or if we’ve outgrown anything, it must go.

The driver of this change is the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries. This column dives into the astrology behind this “deconstruction era”. My aim is to provide historical context and offer ideas to work with this energy.

For those who like to jump around, here’s what I cover in this piece.

• First, we understand the broader context and core themes of Aries.

• Second, Neptune in Aries themes, history, and current events.

• Third, Saturn in Aries themes, history, and current events.

• Next, I dive into the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries.

• Lastly, I offer some closing thoughts on 2025-2026 and how to work with Neptune in Aries from Sept. 1 to Oct. 22.

In Part 3, I’ll dive into the “renaissance” energy coming our way to help us rebuild. We’re getting a potent preview this month (August 2025).

A reminder on context

Astrologically, we’re in the middle of a 12-year cycle. This cycle is perhaps the most important of the 21st century. It began in 2020 and will conclude in 2032.

Yes, we have other notable astrology this century: the 2030s, the 2040s too. And to some extent, how do you rank decades? Did we see more change with the internet (1990s) or the social movements of the 1960s? It’s like comparing apples to oranges.

So I’m not trying to raise a Drudge Report 🚨 about the 2020s (as if that were needed), but instead provide context for 2025-2026.

These two years might be the most intense of the 12-year period, and certainly the nadir. We will watch systems, leaders, institutions, and even countries fail. That’s not easy, and I want us to know we will rebuild.

This is the deconstruction era. The astrological correlation is Saturn and Neptune coming together in the same part of the sky. This forms the Aries Vortex and it will generate a huge amount of change.

Core Aries themes

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac. From that knowledge, most Aries archetypes flow: Aries is first out of the gate, fast, direct, and embodied. Aries leads through instinct (not experience) because it acts first. As the first sign, Aries is a leader, a pioneer, a novel new way forward.

Aries is the energy where we all like to go it alone. Being first means you don’t have time to wait for others. Seriously, even if you aren’t an Aries Sun or don’t have planets in Aries, there’s some part of your life flavored by Aries. In that part of life (e.g., home, work, finances, writing, or friends), you will tend to be more individualistic. 

Aries is youthful, playful, even childlike in being first. Coming after Pisces (the last sign, and one associated with dreams and non-physical reality), Aries is like returning to the body after a deep slumber and being excited for all you can do with the physical form.

Just like our world, every sign has duality and a spectrum of energy. Aries’ penchant for individualism can lead to conflict and separation from others. In both ways, Aries can be powerfully optimistic and frighteningly warmongering. It’s up to us to choose the side we want, even if both are possible.

The 2023-2025 eclipses and amplifying Aries energy

Before 2025, we had two years of eclipses in Aries. The eclipses are like the ocean’s tides: they may appear slow, but they lead to major change. Observe how much changed between April 2023 and April 2025. This energy prepped us.

Right after the last Aries eclipse on March 29, Neptune entered Aries the next day. This handoff is not guaranteed in astrology, but a major reason why 2025 is so transformative. 

That one-two handoff was like an explosion of Aries energy that we’re still processing. First it was the tariff crisis of April. And then we got to the brink of WWIII in June when the Aries energy was activated again. And, as I write this, the markets and politicians are grumbling in early August.

On May 24, Saturn joined Neptune in Aries, tripling down on the Aries themes. With two major planets in the same sign (May 24-Sept. 1), it explains why this summer has been so intense, fiery, and full of change.

Both planets return to Pisces this fall, and at first it may feel like the intensity of this summer subsides. However, it’s coming back and peaking in February 2026, when we should expect the trough of the deconstruction era to occur.

Look closely at what happens in August and September 2025 for a preview.

Dreaming a New Dream: Neptune in Aries

Neptune is the planet of dreams. Of energy. Of everything we feel beyond reality.

It generates a specific “vibe” that envelops the world for about 14 years. (When the term “vibe shift” swept the world, it had much to do with Neptune.)

From 2011-2025, Neptune created a Pisces vibe for the world. Pisces themes were everywhere: we saw the rise of spirituality (astrology and tarot too); sainthood (the #MeToo movement but also cancel culture); and delusion (or feeling everything is a simulation).

But on March 30, Neptune moved into fiery Aries — a sign that is starkly different from Pisces. Aries is about clarity, directness, speed, bold action, self-assertion, and initiation. 

If you reflect back on April and May, you may have felt a new ability to dream big and aspire for more. That’s because Neptune was boundless in those two months.

We’ll get this boundless energy again from Sept. 1 to Oct. 22, so I urge you to dream big then. We’ll have plenty of time to build the structure for our dreams 2026-2028.

How Neptune in Aries could play out

With Neptune in Aries, we may see the rise of idealistic crusades in the news, pioneering technology and new social movements. We might feel a collective fervor that channels spiritual longing into action.

We had a preview of Neptune in Aries this summer. I saw major pushback against “woo woo” spirituality and a more direct, impulsive, conflict-prone vibe permeated the culture — all core Aries themes.

Neptune may also fracture reality and make us feel separated (remember Aries is about reality and individualism). I feel this already — I have no idea how to speak with some people about politics or world events. Try to be aware of this fog so you can still hear others and engage with community.

Even though Neptune in Pisces was more about feeling like we’re living in a simulation, that theme could continue for the first couple years Neptune moves through Aries. That’s because Saturn is nearby. Saturn-Neptune together blur boundaries and make us question reality.

But late 2026, when Saturn is far from Neptune, that desire to numb or doom scroll will begin to subside. We’ll feel more awake and highly present.

Neptune in Aries, historically

Here’s the difficult part: Neptune in Aries has historically been associated with civil wars. The last transit (1861-1874) saw the U.S. Civil War and two civil wars in China. The prior transit (1698-1712) saw the War of Spanish Succession — a civil war (of sorts) in Europe.

That said, I do think our current world is set up very differently. Today, we have more consciousness, more agency, and more ability to work with global energy rather than be victims to it. More on that toward the end of this column.

Let’s understand why Neptune in Aries has historically been tied to civil wars, and perhaps we can work to avoid a similar result this time.

Aries is about conflict to assert individual independence. Neptune is about fog, illusion, and (sometimes unrealistic) dreams. Together, you get the fog of war. Like an autoimmune disease, we see examples in history of countries fighting each other instead of outside forces. It’s often about the freedom of one group in a country from another.

I’m hoping we can avoid a hot war with guns and drones, and instead — at worst —  we see metaphorical civil wars: MAGA tearing itself apart, the U.S. Democratic Party infighting, European political battles, or China’s communist party dissolving.

The Pioneering technology of Neptune in Aries

Neptune in Aries is not just about conflict, however. It also encapsulates the pioneering, inspired, and positive risk taking aspects of Aries.

Remember that Neptune correlates to a “vibe shift” that pervades all parts of life for about 14 years. As a result, we can look back historically and notice how the pioneering, inspired themes of Aries impacted technology, athletic events, and even culture.

(Plus, this time, Neptune will be connected with the technology planet (Uranus) and the sign of technology (Aquarius) for its initial years in Aries. I’ll touch more on this in Part 3.)

Usually the technology and cultural changes have a Neptunian theme (fog, water, ocean). One of my favorite examples is how the early technology behind steam engines began two Neptune in Aries ago, from 1698 to 1712. What is more Neptune than steam? It’s a form of fog!

Do not sleep on Neptune in Aries. The steam engine was ultimately the tech that started the industrial revolution and led to our modern world. We should expect as much pioneering technology in the years ahead. Remember that Aries is the first of the zodiac, so a new cycle is beginning.

Neptune’s correlation to a “vibe shift”

Eventually, we’ll leave behind the themes of Neptune in Pisces: “woo woo” spirituality, the feeling that everything is a simulation — even things as funny but pervasive as the Mandela Effect. These Piscean themes will dissipate soon.

Neptune in Aries is a whole new energy, and our culture is about to go through the biggest vibe shift since 2011/2012.

Remember those years? It was the end of “indie sleaze” and the original “hipster” movement in the U.S. Sure, capitalism took over the hipster movement and continued it. But I promise if you look back to 2011/12, you’ll remember an important vibe shift. Neptune is the vibe. Changing signs is the shift.

For the past 14 years, we’ve seen the surreal vibe of Instagram and handheld social media. We all stare at small glass screens and doom scroll instead of being social, engaging with nature, or creating. (I’m most excited for this aspect of Neptune in Pisces to end.)

The culture also saw Botox, fillers, and plastic surgery become rampant, driven by pop culture tent poles like the not-real Kardashian family. 2011 onward saw a huge gain in the popularity of astrology, tarot, and other occult practices. We went inward, we dreamt, and we kind of left reality.

The 2025-2026 Aries “vibe shift”

By reflecting on how much Neptune in Pisces impacted culture for the past 14 years, we can expect similar changes from now until 2039. While this summer is a preview, you’ll definitely begin to feel the “vibe shift” by next February.

Aries is ruled by Mars, the planet of war, leadership, and individuality — and reality. If Pisces is the dream, the vibe might go from simulation to reality quite quickly. Perhaps people toss out social media or limit their phone usage. In-person and reality based socializing might become more popular. We’ll see inspired leaders — and have already — but we could also see incredibly popular cult leaders, which is a smaller but important part of historical Neptune in Aries periods.

What if our culture begins to have heroes again? Inspired self-reliance, not toxic ghosting or dissociation. What if we learn to combine this new “vibe” of individualism with the evolved community that will come out of Pluto in Aquarius? I could see the inspired (Neptune) aspects of Aries being a really nice cultural shift in the coming years. 

Neptune does tend to overstay its welcome, so just like we’re tired of Neptune in Pisces after 14 years, we may grow weary of Aries themes by 2039. But for now, it’s fresh, it’s new, and it’s exciting. Grab it!

Focus on the positive aspects of Neptune in Aries

Many astrologers fear Neptune, but I think like any part of astrology, we want to work with the aspects of this planet that are positive, affirming, exciting, and help our lives out. We can choose those aspects while being aware of the more confounding, foggier parts of Neptune.

To work with Neptune in Aries, start by dreaming your biggest ambitions and trusting we now have the energy to actualize them. Take risks, act out of instinct, and boldly lead where your heart takes you. Without the fog of Pisces, we may be able to more quickly, clearly, and effectively create a new reality. 

Neptune can be about unrealistic dreams, but it can also be about aspirational ones too. Focus on those aspirations, be patient, and you can work with Neptune in Aries to dream things you never thought possible. 

Yes, we want to be aware of overly idealizing leaders, groups of people, nations, or even warfare while Neptune is in Aries. But this astrology can also help us dissolve old fears around taking action.

The main challenges of Neptune in Aries: (1) letting inspiration guide your actions, but not consume them; (2) staying aware of what happens in the world without being overwhelmed by it; and (3) avoiding a full return to doom scrolling or numbing this fall (it’s such a brief return of Neptune in Pisces, from Oct. 22 to Jan. 26, 2026).

Saturn joined Neptune in Aries on May 24

Saturn joined Neptune in Aries on May 24. Saturn is the planet of reality, discipline, boundaries, and hard work. While that sounds boring, it’s also the planet of  great reward when you put in the work. Saturn is the principle of physics that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Make your actions worthwhile and the response will be powerful.

Yes, Saturn is very different from Neptune, which is why their conjunction (coming together in the sky) is so difficult. Saturn is 3D reality where Neptune is the dream. Saturn is the body; Neptune is spirit. Saturn is humanity; Neptune is spirituality.

While Neptune and Saturn don’t mix, I want us to see Saturn in Aries as a powerful tool during the first years of Neptune in Aries. Saturn keeps us tethered to reality, which will help us work with Neptune’s foggier energy — and go after our aspirations sooner.

When Neptune was in Pisces, it spun out of control from 2011 to 2023 before Saturn entered the chat to provide a body check. Neptune in Aries will get to work with Saturn for the first few years — and then expand once we have the container to grow.

Saturn in Aries is a paradox: Too much and never enough

Saturn in Aries is not a cakewalk, and that’s because Saturn’s themes clash with those of Aries. There’s a core mismatch.

Saturn is the furthest planet the ancients could see. After Saturn, we require telescopes to see the outer planets of Uranus through Pluto. Saturn also has the slowest orbit of the traditional planets. It literally appears dim (which the ancients associated with old age) and cold (it almost has a blue hue).

From this understanding, we derive Saturn’s core themes. And they clash with the themes of Aries being the first sign and fresh.

Saturn is about the merit of age and experience; Aries is about the value of youth and inexperience. Saturn is patient; Aries is impatient. Saturn leads because it’s the eldest; Aries leads because it’s the first.

Saturn demands slow thinking, long-term planning, and structures that last. Aries energy acts without any planning. (Have you ever met an Aries on a mission? It’s a vibe.) Together, there might be a general feeling of impatience in the air. I’ve felt that this summer – especially this week — have you?

Aries wants to break Saturn’s limits and charge ahead without being slowed down. We have to remember that a home renovation is a marathon not a sprint. Saturn in Aries might tempt you to leap before looking. You want to be careful. Alternately, you may slow things down too much when Aries energy is strong. Try to find a balance.

Despite this contrast of Saturn v. Aries themes, please repeat after me: Saturn is not bad. It delays things (age), but it never denies — especially if you do the work. Like a parent who tells you to eat your greens, you are healthier when listening to the wisdom of Saturn.

A great way to work with Saturn in Aries personally is to tap into the positive themes of Aries: self-confidence, direct communication, and quick action (while noticing any impatience that arises). Yes, make sure your actions are precise, but also find ways to pioneer breakthroughs.

We can leave behind victimhood or feeling sorry for ourselves (Saturn in Pisces). And instead, we can make choices (Saturn) with confidence (Aries). We can hold space for experience and inspiration.

Saturn in Aries, historically

In history, Saturn in Aries often correlates to leaders being embarrassed or coming across as illegitimate in the public eye. For instance the last time Saturn was in Aries (1996-1999), U.S. President Clinton was impeached. The opposition party had a widespread belief that he was not a legitimate president.

The astrology is that Saturn and Aries both represent leadership — but very different types. Saturn is leadership through experience; Aries is leadership by being first. However, when combined, you get mismatched outcomes.

The last emperor of China (1908-1912) began with a two-year-old emperor who took the throne after his uncle passed away. What could be more illegitimate than an infant in power? Saturn was in Aries 1908 to 1911 and toward the end (October 1911), an uprising was led against the emperor that led to his abdication (a type of embarrassment if you will).

Several cycles ago, Saturn was in Aries (1790-1793) after U.S. Constitution was signed (1789). The first president, George Washington, famously ceded the “throne” after only two terms — setting an important precedent and shocking then-current expectations of power. Remember, true democracy was a new concept then. While Washington wasn’t embarrassed, per se, Saturn in Aries correlated to a diminishment of executive leadership in the U.S.

Saturn in Aries this summer

Since Saturn has been briefly in Aries this summer, the U.S. had a “No Kings Protest” in June, which might be the largest U.S. protest in history. In July, the “Epstein Files” resurfaced and embarrassed the Trump presidency, even de-legitimizing him among his supporters. The astrology is astrologizing.

Watching all our outdated, insider-trading, fascist-wannabe leaders be embarrassed sounds great, right?

I actually think so… in the sense that Saturn in Aries might bring in new ideas, fresh leadership, and inspired policy. And to be clear, I’m not ageist or anti-experience — if anything it’s elderly abuse that some of these leaders are still in office, just look at former Sen. Dianne Feinstein — but it’s clearly time for change.

When a running joke on social media is that anyone who has dementia, or doesn’t understand tech, or has outdated views of the world “should be put in Congress immediately”, you know we need term limits. Saturn in Aries will correlate with a major changeover in leadership worldwide.

2025-2026 key signature: Saturn and Neptune come together

Saturn and Neptune coming together is one of the most important cycles for studying human history. It happens every 36 years and represents a fundamental restart of the structures and institutions that connect us.

(Yes, for you astro nerds like me, there are many important cycles. Saturn-Uranus is one that’s coming in 2032. Saturn-Pluto correlated to COVID. But for the middle of this decade, it’s all about Saturn-Neptune.)

In 1989, the last time Saturn and Neptune conjoined, many countries and institutions changed overnight. The USSR dissolved. The Berlin Wall came crashing down (literally in a day). Apartheid unraveled. And the internet’s earliest beginning would eventually change the world.

It’s one thing to read history and another to live it. This summer, we’ve been living it. One day we feel ready for WW3 with the U.S. directly bombing a sovereign country. The next moment, that country’s bark (Iran) was louder than its bite. The conflict appeared to dissolve overnight. Will it return? Most likely because we’re returning to Summer 2025’s energy in February 2026. But the reality has fundamentally changed.

The contradiction of Saturn and Neptune together

Saturn is all about working hard to get what you want. Neptune is aspirational and can sometimes want to avoid hard labor — if only because it feels unnecessary.

Saturn is Newtonian physics and our bodies. Neptune is quantum mechanics and the dream world. Saturn is land and the structures we build. Neptune is a metaphor for the ocean that eventually erodes everything.

The combination of these two energies is like oil and water. So it can be intense — especially because it won’t always play out how we think it might. There may be a sentiment that conflict or war is “righteous” in the coming years, but it won’t always be clear whose side anyone is on! That’s the foggy nature of Neptune.

The best way to work with this energy is to use Saturn to help concretize our dreams, even as Neptune dissolves what we think is real. Hold space for both this and that. Many opposing things will happen at the same time.

Work with this astrology in your personal life

If our bodies are associated with Saturn (physical things we can touch) and Neptune is more about energy or spirit (non-physical things), we can work with this contradictory astrology by aligning our body’s frequency.

We want to be especially attuned to energy right now (moreso than 1989 or other historical examples of Saturn-Neptune) because Saturn is weak in Aries. Neptune’s ability to dissolve what feels real (e.g., our bodies!) will overcome Saturn’s reality-based theme.

In a similar way, if your mind or spirit (Neptune) is ready for “old things” to disappear asap — how are you making your body (Saturn) ready too?

We live in a world of frequency, wavelengths, sound, and light. We have the ability to choose which channel our bodies connect to: listening to music, going in nature, meditating, and choosing aligned people are great ways to work with the Saturn-Neptune conjunction.

Why this Saturn-Neptune cycle is more important

What’s incredibly unique about 2025 and 2026 is that the Saturn-Neptune cycle is happening at the very start of the zodiac: Zero degrees Aries. As mentioned in my 2025 Year Ahead piece, this exact degree is key to understanding 2025-2026.

Because I am an insane Virgo, I used my astrology software to review Saturn-Neptune conjunctions over the past 5,000 years (going back to 3000 B.C.E.). While this astrology happens every 36 years, not one of the 139 times is similar to what we’re experiencing 2025-2026.¹

That’s because Saturn and Neptune are coming together at zero degrees Aries, the start of the sign and the start of the entire zodiac. Even over the past 5,000 years, Saturn and Neptune only conjoined in Aries 10 times total. But none of them were as potent as this year.

Zero degrees Aries in ancient astrology

According to ancient astrology, the zero degrees starting four signs: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn are “global points” that have widespread impacts historically. Why? Because each of those signs starts a season: spring, summer, fall, and winter.

The seasons each begin on a solstice or equinox, which is measured by astrology as “zero degrees”. Zero degrees Aries is the spring equinox, the start of spring, and the beginning of the whole astrological calendar.  To the ancients, this date and point was an important time of initiation.

Spring, of course, is arguably the most important season because it’s about initiation. Change is necessary, but for growth. Blossoms bloom and chicks hatch; it’s a time of rebirth.

Yes, like snowflakes and individual humans, each year is unique. The second half of this decade is profound too. The transition from the 2000s to the 2010s was no joke. 2020. The 90s.

But I think this “zero degrees Aries” point is really important for understanding 2025-2026. It could correlate to a feeling that we’re completely deconstructing our current reality to build a new one. And we’re in the middle of it this summer.

The change won’t happen overnight — remember that Saturn in Aries is ruthlessly impatient — but it will happen faster than any of us expect. That’s the paradox of Saturn and Neptune together.

Historical challenges of Saturn-Neptune in Aries

The last time Saturn and Neptune met up in Aries was 1703 during the peak of the War of the Spanish Succession. This war was like a “reverse” civil war that was aiming to keep Spain from ruling all of western Europe as one country.

This war was bloody, long, and shaped Europe for decades – if not longer. It’s an example of boundaries (country borders) being blurred, dismantled, and reorganized when Saturn and Neptune come together in Aries.

Also in 1703, Tsar Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg, which is historically seen as making Russia one of Europe’s giant powers. Interestingly, each subsequent Neptune-Saturn conjunction has had a meaningful impact on Russia. In the past century, look at these pivot points:

• 1917: Bolshevik Revolution and the end of the Russian monarchy

• 1953: Death of Joseph Stalin and start of the Cold War

• 1989: Dissolution of the USSR and end of the Cold War

• 2025-2026: As I write this, U.S. President Trump is to meet with Russia’s president Putin in a few days for an unprecedented summit in Alaska to discuss the Russia war on Ukraine

Neptune-Saturn in Aries is also transcendent art

The last Neptune-Saturn conjunction in Aries (1703) also aligned with some of the most aspirational and pioneering art for hundreds of years in either direction.

A young Johann Sebastian Bach established himself between 1703-07, laying the groundwork for the classical music epoch. Bach’s influence on western music cannot be underestimated.

1703 was also during the peak of Baroque art in western Europe. If you’ve never seen a Baroque church or painting, they’re incredibly visual and colorful. (Neptune in Aries has a lot to do with visuals because Aries rules the eyes).

The intention behind Baroque art was to fuse beauty with spiritual transcendence. The physical structures of these churches were very Saturnian. The “transcendent” experience people had when viewing them — imagine being in 1703! — is Neptunian.

The rarity of Neptune-Saturn in Aries

As noted, Neptune and Aries only conjoined (came together) 10 times in the past 5,000 years. And never once at zero degrees.

The conjunction before 1703 occurred in 1380, which was in the middle of the “Hundred Years' War” between France and England, which was a civil war of sorts. In many ways, it was a dispute over an Englishman’s claim to the French throne and French territories resulting from the prior period of Norman conquest (when France invaded England).

In 1381, right after the conjunction, the Peasants’ Revolt in England challenged the calcified federalist system of medieval Europe.

In both examples of war and governance, boundaries blurred. Old ideas changed.

Lastly, in 594 B.C.E. Saturn and Neptune conjoined at two degrees Aries. This year was incredibly significant for Ancient Greece and involved major changes to the city-state structure, democracy, and the leadership in Athens.

Even then, “two degrees” is not as significant as  “zero degrees” in astrology. Yes, it’s close. But in the case of “zero degrees”, the exactitude matters because it’s the start of a whole system.

Similarly, 2025-2026 might have more impact than the conjunction at 11 degrees Aries in 1703. Or the Capricorn conjunction between 10-11 degrees in 1989 (an important period, but a prelude to 2025-2026).

We are entering a uniquely potent period, even if there are challenges as well. Importantly, on a positive note, Neptune and Saturn are interacting positively with the other outer planets: Uranus and Pluto. This, to me, gives me hope that we’re not going to descend into another civil war — at least not literally.

I’m covering this “renaissance energy” as I’m calling it in Part 3 of this series.

Tariffs and trade wars: Our first glimpse at Saturn-Neptune in Aries this summer

Three days after Neptune entered Aries, U.S. President Trump announced a set of bizarre tariffs (likely generated by ChatGPT) that sent markets crashing. While “Liberation Day” sounds like an Aries theme, the rest of the world felt trapped by this severe change in global trade.

In the past few months, the markets recovered, but news about tariffs and trade has dominated headlines. Even in the past month, the market gyrated at every change in the U.S. administration’s mercurial policy. 

This news can be correlated with Neptune in Aries. After all, what is a trade war? It’s a desire to go it alone and bring production back to the U.S., and separate from global agreements — Aries independence.

The trade war is also very Saturn and Neptune in Aries. Remember our key themes: the dismantling of trade agreements, dissolution of calcified free trade structures, and a rapid set of changes that feels head-spinning.

It’s fascinating to note that Neptune was in Libra right after WWII when much of the current global order was established. Libra is the sign of accord, balancing others, coming together in partners – and the opposite sign of Aries. So we should expect that the current cycle of Neptune and Saturn in Aries might dissolve what isn’t working from that post-war era.

On a positive note, perhaps we’ll see unhelpful boundaries between countries become less important and more fluid. Perhaps we’ll allow more travel and interchange between peoples in a sustainable way. Just like the dissolution of the USSR led to the freedom of many people, including East Germans, not all change is difficult.

Unfortunately, this summer is seeing real-world conflict too

I’d prefer that the Neptune-Saturn conjunction correlate with metaphorical wars like a “trade war” (as intense as that is for economics) or infighting among calcified political parties. Unfortunately, we’ve also seen a few conflicts come to a head this summer.

The Aries energy was particularly activated around June 15-18 when the largest planet (Jupiter) entered Cancer and metaphorically crashed into Saturn and Neptune (technically a “square” in astrology).

At that time, we saw Israel launch a new war on Iran after years of war on Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria. The U.S. joined the war against Iran — supposedly to dismantle their nuclear operations — and the world felt at the brink of WWIII.

Fortunately, that tension faded quickly into a more positive New Moon and Jupiter-Sun conjunction (optimism, faith) later in June. But it could return when the Saturn-Neptune conjunction becomes exact in February 2026.

Remember that the Israel war on Gaza began on Oct. 7, 2023 after Hamas attacked Israel. This day was right in the middle of an Aries eclipse cycle that preceded the Neptune-Saturn conjunction we’re now living through. 

My hope is that we will see clearly the horrors of this conflict and other wars stopped with this renaissance astrology I referenced earlier (Uranus trine Pluto), which is how I’m ending this three-part essay series.

Additionally, a positive aspect of Aries is the ability to see things clearly, directly, and with more truth. Perhaps as Saturn separates from Neptune, which can amplify the fog and confusion, the world will start to see more clearly how awful these conflicts are.

As mentioned, the U.S. president scheduled an in-person meeting with Russia’s president in theory to end Russia’s war on Ukraine. Last week and this one are also activating the Saturn-Neptune conjunction because of Mars’ movement through the sky. Given Russia’s connection to Saturn-Neptune in history, this week could bring a major change to that war and the country.

Inspired leadership this summer

Beyond trade wars and actual wars, we’ve also seen some positive changes this summer with the Neptune-Saturn conjunction. I want to hone in on these events. 

If Saturn-Neptune can correlate to corrupt leaders and systems being dissolved from within, we might have a preview with the New York mayoral race. Coming out of seemingly nowhere, Zohran Mamdani won June’s Democratic Party primary to run for mayor of America’s largest city. Fighting the Democratic Party itself and calcified, Mamdani crushed his closest opponent (Andrew Cuomo) 56 to 44 percent. 

Mamdani might be a great example of a young, Aries-like leader who brings inspiration in the face of a calcified leader like Cuomo (who left office already due to sexual assault allegations but is clinging to power).

Similarly, even the aging U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez launched an aspiration tour of new leadership called "Fighting Oligarchy" — a clear shot against the old guard of U.S. power. 

And as mentioned, the “No Kings Protest” in June was not only in line with Aries’ anti-authoritarian theme, but may have been the largest single day of protests in U.S. history.

A glimpse of pioneering technology

Summer 2025's technological breakthroughs also captured Saturn-Neptune conjunction energy. Remember that a core tenet of Saturn and Neptune together is dissolving boundaries of what was hidden (Neptune) and what can be seen (Saturn).

In one notable example, AI researchers made invisible brain aging visible, with models that can predict brain health deviations just from MRI scans. Brain-computer interfaces also reached the point where invisible thoughts might become actionable data with remarkable accuracy. 

In July, we saw a quantum computing breakthrough by QuEra, Harvard, and MIT which blurred the line between theoretical and practical. Quantum computing is core Neptune: the unseen energy that has real power.

Google's Veo 3 video generator also rolled out in July. It perfectly embodies the Saturn-Neptune idea of blending reality and artificial reality (AI, headsets, etc). The technology is so excellent, most people are not able to tell if the video is real or generated by this new AI tech.

Adding consciousness to the current reality

With examples of inspired leadership and exciting technology we have reason to hope this “deconstruction era” will not be all bad — as difficult as the news can be right now.

That’s because, as mentioned, Neptune and Saturn are interacting positively with the other outer planets: Uranus and Pluto. This, to me, gives me hope that we’re not going to descend into another civil war — at least not literally. I’ll cover this “renaissance astrology” as I’m calling it in Part 3 of this series.

While I will wait to dive into the details, I want to note that this Saturn-Neptune conjunction in Aries is the first time we’ve experienced it as humans since the discovery of the outer planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. And if those planets are all making harmonious connections to Neptune and Saturn, can we more consciously work with those connections?

In 1703, the last time Saturn and Neptune came together in Aries, none of the “outer” planets were known by anyone, including astrologers. The last time Neptune was in Aries (1861-1875), only Uranus was known — Neptune had recently been discovered but was not in active use. Pluto was unknown.

Our current reality is so different from historical examples, which I hope is another example that we’re not marching toward the Dark Ages 2.0. Instead, we have more tools, more consciousness, and more awareness to work collectively in a difficult situation.

And even when the collective struggles to move in concert — it’s difficult for billions of people to change at once — we always have agency as individuals. That’s the best part of understanding astrology: choose what you want, what you need™.

September & October are huge opportunities to dream — do not sleep on these months

From Sept. 1 to Oct. 22 (+/- a day depending on your time zone), Neptune will be in Aries without Saturn. This will not happen again until 2028.

Why does this matter? Without Saturn’s demand to work hard, create structure, but also impose limits, we can use Neptune’s energy for limitless dreaming. Yes, this can get out of hand. And yes, you want to check your dreams to make sure they’re not becoming delusions.

But if you’re like me, and you found March 30 to May 24 this year had moments where you were able to think bigger than ever before, that’s the energy we’re returning to briefly. It’s not as easy as April and May, but I want us to work with it. Notice it. Get back to that dreaming, scheming, and excited energy of the spring. The possibilities are unlimited.

Yes, when Saturn returns to Aries in 2026, it will help us build the structure for our dreams – especially after February when the two planets will begin to separate but still be in Aries together. By being further apart in the sky, they will be able to collaborate more easily in the part of your chart that contains Aries.

If you know your rising sign, check out this list below. Were you dreaming big in this area of your life in April and May? What dreams were body checked or limited this summer? Can you expand them again in September and October, even if other things are changing?

• Aries rising: Your identity and unique way of moving through the world

• Taurus rising: Your inner world, subconscious, and work behind-the-scenes

• Gemini rising: Your groups of friends, networks, and audience

• Cancer rising: Your career, vocation, and public work

• Leo rising: Your core life beliefs, learning process, and mentors

• Virgo rising: Your shared resources, financing, and intimate collaborations

• Libra rising: Your one-on-one relationships, partnerships, and advisors

• Scorpio rising: Your day-to-day work and routines, especially those related to health and your physical body

• Sagittarius rising: Your creative projects, pleasurable pastimes, and children

• Capricorn rising: Your home, roots, foundations, and people you live with

• Aquarius rising: How you communicate, your neighbors, and extended family

• Pisces rising: Your skills, talent, resources, money, and personal belongings

Closing thoughts

Astrology, like life, contains multitudes and we’re constantly evolving in multiple areas of life. We all have each sign influencing our lives, and Aries is definitely not the only sign to pay attention to – even if I’ve dedicated a whole column to this fun, fiery, and fearsome sign.

But, for the next couple months and most of 2026, Aries will be the focus. The raison d'être, the star on the stage (don’t upstage Leos!), the change we’ve all been waiting for.

I believe that – together with Uranus and Pluto, which I’ll cover in the last part of this series – the Saturn-Neptune conjunction is helping us realize that Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

Let’s all lean into the best parts of Aries: be brave, lead others, take pioneering action, express yourself, and become self-reliant while building a powerful community around you. If we do nothing else with astrology, we can always use it as confirmation bias to attract what we want. How’s that for the individualism of Aries?

Soon I’ll be back with the most hopeful part of this series discussing the potent trine of Uranus and Pluto.

Until then, I’ll catch you in the stars.

1. We have a pretty reliable set of planetary movements going back 9,000 years, but to manually review without software would take even longer than using the software — which still took hours.