This Surreal Astrological Event Hasn’t Happened in 164 Years
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Have your dreams felt more active than usual? Your visions for the future both vivid and surreal? There’s an astrological reason for that, and it’s one we haven’t experienced in 164 years. This March 30, dreamy Neptune is changing signs, heading into Aries for the first time since the mid-19th century.
Neptune is diffuse and spiritual. The hazy blue planet is in charge of our intuition, subconscious, and our imaginations. Known for blurring boundaries and churning up escapism, Neptune makes it hard to tell what is real and what is an illusion. Spitfire Aries gives the polar opposite, charging in like an action-movie hero with certainty and momentum. Talk about a wild juxtaposition: Neptune wants to drift; Aries wants to rebel.
So what happens when the most passive planet dives into the most aggressive sign? Conflict becomes ideological. Fighting for a dream becomes literal. And as we gear up to confront the chaos Neptune in Aries can bring, we can look to history as inspiration for how to face it.
As the first sign of the zodiac, Aries is all about novelty, innovation, and progress. While Neptune journeyed through this realm from 1861 until 1875, slavery was abolished and the women’s suffrage movement swelled. This was the post-war Reconstruction era, in which the United States attempted to redefine everything from civil rights to manufacturing to land ownership to education.
This was also the height of the Spiritualist era, where women gathered in parlors to hold séances, tapping into their intuitive powers. One of the most iconic yet largely unknown figures of this period was Victoria Woodhull. In 1872, she became the first woman to run for president of the United States. She was a suffragist and a Spiritualist, known for her work as a medium before she made political history. She was also the first female stockbroker on Wall Street and a vocal advocate of the “Free Love” movement. In a time when women couldn’t even vote, she dared to dream—and act—like she could lead a nation.
Then there’s Harriet Tubman, who wasn’t a Spiritualist in the formal sense but was guided by visions she interpreted as divine messages. She experienced these trancelike states after a head injury as a child, and they became central to her life’s mission. In 1863, she led the Combahee Ferry Raid and rescued hundreds of enslaved people—making her the first woman to lead a military operation in the U.S.
As Neptune returns to Aries this March 30, we’re once again living through an ideological war in the United States: DEI initiatives are being shut down; deportations are expected to ramp up; and bodily autonomy continues to be threatened. Official government agencies are being asked to avoid words like “race” and “women.” There’s an eerie déjà vu to it all.
This cycle is a long one, however, lasting until March 23, 2039, and it’s important to remember that this is just the beginning of a decade-and-a-half-long shift. We can’t help but note that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is being eyed as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, is a Libra, the same sign as Victoria Woodhull.
As the government and large entities like corporations and universities swing to the right, many are searching for the most impactful way to fight back. With Neptune in Aries, action begins with imagination. Our dreams are not just escapism; they’re blueprints for the future. And when we trust our intuition, our gut, and our unrealized visions, we start to find the clarity and courage to act.
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