Neptune: Is It Really the Planet of Escapism?

Reclaiming the god of the sea and his meaning in astrology.

Each of the planets in astrology represents different states of 'cosmic consciousness' (so to speak), which have little to do with human behaviors. In reality, it is we who define what we discover and, generally, assign it a human meaning by projecting our own psyche onto what we observe.

When we talk about Neptune, it’s common to automatically associate it with escapism. The same goes for the sign of Pisces, ruled by Neptune, which is often considered the sign that seeks to escape reality, losing itself in fantasies, dreams, or illusions. But is Neptune the true escapist? Or perhaps, are we the ones who tend to escape when its energy is felt?

To understand this, let’s think about what Neptune represents. It is the planet that governs what has no definite form: dreams, the unconscious, spirituality, and the dissolution of boundaries. Neptune is like the ocean, vast and without clear borders. When its influence is felt in our lives, it can be overwhelming because it asks us to let go of control, to embrace the undefined and the uncertain. And here lies the true challenge: facing the dissolution of barriers, and instead of embracing that experience, we choose to run away from it.

The Fear of Neptune

The escapism often associated with Neptune doesn’t come from its energy but from our fear of it. It’s so difficult for us to live in a state of flow, to surrender to the unknown, that we prefer to create boundaries, restrictions, or even immerse ourselves in distractions as a way to avoid Neptune’s vastness. Society teaches us to be productive, to measure success by tangible achievements, to have control over our surroundings. But Neptune doesn’t follow those rules. It is creative chaos, faith in the invisible, acceptance that not everything needs to be understood or controlled. And that lack of control is frightening.

When we don’t know how to handle Neptune, that’s when we resort to true escapism. We escape from Neptune’s energy to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty it brings. We take refuge in illusions, fantasies, addictions, or anything that allows us to avoid that feeling of dissolution. Neptune is not the escapist; we are, when we can’t flow with its energy.

Control and Pluto: Another Form of Avoidance

This pattern isn’t only seen with Neptune but also with other transformative planets. Think of Pluto. Pluto is associated with power, transformation, and deep regeneration. Yet, we often associate it with control, with the obsession to dominate situations or people. But, just like with Neptune, control doesn’t stem from Pluto’s energy itself but from the fear of its true essence. Pluto asks us to let go of what no longer serves, to transform, and that requires surrender. When we’re not ready for that, we try to desperately control, as a way to avoid the inevitable process of transformation that Pluto demands.

Just as we try to control out of fear of Pluto, we escape out of fear of Neptune. And what’s curious is that the more we avoid these energies, the more they pursue us. Neptune, with its veil of mist, continuously invites us to dissolve, to trust in what we cannot see, while Pluto, from the shadows, pushes us to confront our deepest darkness and be reborn.

Embracing Neptune’s Energy

So, what does it really mean to embrace Neptune? It means accepting uncertainty and the lack of boundaries as part of life. Neptune doesn’t ask us to escape reality, but rather to integrate the ethereal, the spiritual, the formless. It invites us to accept that there are forces greater than ourselves, that not everything can be explained or controlled. It’s learning to flow, to trust the process, to feel comfortable in the void, in what seems uncertain.

Living in a Neptunian way is not about living in an illusion, but about living in a state of deep connection with something beyond the tangible. It’s knowing that structures and boundaries are only temporary tools, that what’s real is much vaster and full of potential.

Neptune, and Pisces by analogy, are not the escapists of the zodiac. True escapism arises when we don’t want to face the vastness of Neptune’s energy, when we prefer easy distractions or fleeting illusions instead of diving into the infinite ocean it represents. As with Pluto, the fear of losing control is what leads us to avoid its true transformative power.

Perhaps it’s time to stop running from Neptune and start learning from it, to live in its flow and accept that not everything needs to be defined or controlled to be understood. Because it’s in the space between boundaries and certainties where we truly find the most authentic parts of life.