Global Change 2025 from an Astrological Perspective
(Neptune in Aries)
written by Peter Joy
When we look to astrology to offer some insight into the broader social and cultural changes currently taking place, we inevitably look to what are known as the trans-personal planets. These are the planets furthest away from the Earth – Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. (Although in recent years science has reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet, within astrology it is still understood as a significant planetary body offering much insight into the spiritual state of humanity and is termed here as a planet). Trans-personal means literally ‘beyond the personal’. While the trans-personal planets can have personal relevance to an individual when they connect to certain points in the birth chart, they have a greater role as mediators of collective wisdom from the spiritual world to the physical realm.
This becomes clearer when we consider how long it takes each of these planets to complete a cycle through the 12 zodiac signs:
Uranus approximately 84 years
Neptune approximately 164 years
Pluto approximately 244 years
We can see immediately that while an individual may live long enough to see Uranus return to the sign it occupied when they were born, this is not possible in the case of Neptune and Pluto. The cycles are simply too long and exceed the limits of one human lifetime.
Due to the slow movement of these outer planets, we can only ever experience their presence in some of the zodiac signs. The blending of the energy of the planet with the zodiac sign through which it moves offers insight into the spiritual themes of different historical epochs. The significance of a transpersonal planet entering a new zodiac sign becomes apparent when we consider the time each planet spends in a sign. The durations given below are approximate. In the case of Pluto, due to the elliptical nature of its orbit, it spends unequal amounts of time in the signs.
Uranus approximately 8 years in a zodiac sign
Neptune approximately 14 years in a zodiac sign
Pluto approximately 12 – 30 years in a zodiac sign
In short, it is of enormous significance to the collective consciousness when one of the trans-personal enters a new zodiac sign and signals the opportunity for the spiritual growth of humanity.
Our current year of 2025 is remarkable in that we see this occur with all 3 transpersonal planets. It is rare for all three planets to change signs within such a short timeframe, and it is for this reason that many astrologers are speaking of 2025 as marking a year of tremendous global change.
I’d like to focus here upon Neptune which on March 30th , 2025 moved into Aries. Neptune will remain in Aries until October 25th, 2025, when it will retrograde or move backwards into Pisces and eventually move forward again into Aries where it will remain for the extended period from January 26th, 2026 – May 22nd, 2038. (NB: Retrograde motion is a phenomenon whereby planets appear to move backwards through the zodiac at certain periods. It is the faster orbital speed of the Earth around the Sun in comparison to these planets which creates the illusion).
Neptune has sometimes been termed “The Mystic”. Through its energy we connect more closely to the underlying spiritual energy of our solar system which is Love and Wisdom. The vehicles for doing so are through the imagination, inspiration and compassion and sensitivity to others.
Neptunian energy can be seen as drawing us away from the physical world in order to more easily access the spiritual realm. Not surprisingly it is associated with states of altered consciousness. In the years following its discovery in 1846, the world saw the use of modern anaesthetics such as ether which allowed patients to be remain insensible to pain during surgery. Towards the end of the 19th century Sigmund Freud began his research into the dream life of his patients. We also saw the invention of photography and cinema which opened up new realms of imagination and creative activity.
The changes in consciousness which Neptune brings about are not usually abrupt or sudden. They are more typically slower and more subtle, defying attempts to identify the precise beginnings and endings of the change. It is like an ice-cube slowly dissolving in a glass of warm water. The form of the ice cube gradually dissolves. Similarly, when aspects of the collective consciousness change it may be difficult for us to identify exactly when and how this happened. We simply become aware that things are different to how they were 10 years ago.
Having said that, Neptune has entered Aries, which is known for speed and sudden action, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Aries is also the sign of the leader and the hero who forges forth into unexplored realms to make new discoveries. Following this archetype would suggest that this era of Neptune in Aries may bring opportunities for discoveries about the spiritual world; that somehow knowledge or understanding about how to more fully manifest the spiritual intention of Love/Wisdom will be brought through into the physical realm. This will of course depend on the level of consciousness of us all as individuals. Where the consciousness is less developed and more aligned to personal rather than collective needs, we will see a distortion of this spiritual knowledge. (Remember that in drawing us away from the physical into the spiritual, we need a clear sense of a higher purpose and ethics in order that we don’t lose our way and become prey to our own illusions and self-deception). This may take the form of ‘false prophets’ who claim to be acting in the name of ‘Universal Love’ or the needs of humanity but are in fact using words and images to serve their own self-interest. A great deal of discrimination will be required to decide what is an authentic expression of Love from what is false. This is very much being played out through our engagement with the internet at this time.
However, during this time of Neptune in Aries there is the potential for the discovery and distribution of spiritual knowledge which can truly help humanity advance its spiritual growth. As French writer Victor Hugo wrote: “Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come”. We all have a role to play in bringing these ideas forward.