Chapter XVII. NEPTUNE, THE PLANET OF DIVINITY

AS URANUS is the octave of Venus and acts principally upon the love nature, aiming to elevate mankind in matters personal and social, so Neptune is the octave of Mercury, and altogether spiritual in its aims. As Mercury is Lightbearer of the physical Sun, so Neptune is Lightbearer for the spiritual Sun, (called Vulcan by the Western Mystics). Intellectuality, ruled by Mercury lifted us above the animal and made man man, the Spirituality ruled by Neptune will in time raise us beyond the state of the human and make us divine.

Neptune really signifies what we may call "the gods" commencing with the supernormal beings we know as Elder Brothers, and compassing the innumerable hosts of spiritual entities, good, bad, and indifferent, which influence our evolution. Its position and aspects denote our relation to them; malefic aspects attract agencies of a nature inimical to our welfare, benefic configurations draw upon the good forces. Thus, if Neptune is placed in the Tenth House, trine to the ascendant, the person involved will have the opportunity to become a leader or prominent in a movement along mystical lines as denoted

by the exalted position of Neptune. His body will be capable of receiving the finer vibrations, and of coming in touch with the spiritual world, as denoted by the trine of the ascendant. On the other hand, when Neptune is placed in the Twelfth House, whose nature is passive and productive of suffering, that position indicates that at some time, perhaps under a square from the midheaven, the evil forces, among whom are spirit-controls, will be drawn to that person and endeavor to obtain possession of the body. The conjunction of Neptune with the ascendant will make the body sensitive and useable for spiritual purposes, as well as the trine. Given the opportunity afforded by the first aspect mentioned, the man may become a pupil of a mystery school and a factor for great good in the uplift of mankind; placed under the affliction of the second aspect, he may become a helpless tool of spirit-controls: an irresponsible medium. But there is one factor which is never shown in the horoscope, and that is the will of man. He is bound at some time in life to meet with the experiences denoted by his horoscope, and the opportunities there indicated will be placed before him one by one in orderly succession, as the clock of destiny marks the appropriate time ; but how he, the free and independent spirit, meets that fated experience, no one can determine beforehand, and the man in whose horoscope the first mentioned benefic configuration occurs may not be sufficiently awake to the great opportunity before him to catch it on the wing, it may

have flown before he realizes it was there. Yes, he may never become aware of the fact. On the other hand, the person in whose life the square* indicates the assault by spiritual forces mentioned, may develop his spiritual muscle by resisting the onslaught and become a victor instead of being vanquished. Forewarned is forearmed.

Neptune was not discovered until 1846, but we should err greatly if .we supposed the influence ascribed to it fictitious on that account, for as the person born blind lacks the organs to see the sunlight and colors, so most of humanity is still lacking the sensibility which makes them amenable to the vibrations of Neptune. (See Chapter on that subject, also on Planetary Octaves). But we are gradually developing finer feelings and becoming more able to respond to his influence. At first these influences are mostly felt by sensitives who become occultists when of a positive nature and mediums when negative, others gain from it the cunning common alike to the criminal and the detective, or it impels the weakling to take drugs which in another manner produces dreams and visions similar to those obtained by the mediumistic process.

Neptune strong in the figure gives a very vivid imagination and an artistic nature, poetic, musical, or literary, a fondness of ease, comfort and beautiful surroundings. The person is easily swayed by the emotions, and when Neptune is afflicted may become subject to trances, fainting, hysteria, or psychic

storms. There is a love of travel, preferably by water.

When Neptune is weak by sign or afflicted it also inclines to drink or drugs, it robs the person of ambition and makes him an indolent loafer or cheat, thoroughly dishonest, or if the horoscope is otherwise good he may become the prey of other people who will rob or defraud him. People with an afflicted Neptune should particularly avoid dealings with large corporations or they may be subjected to swindles of the most fantastic nature.

t^l Neptune in tlie Ascendant, or First House Neptune is by nature occult, prophetic and spiritual. The Ascendant signifies the body wherein we function and thus by combination of these ideas we find that Neptune on the Ascendant will give a particularly sensitive body capable of feeling the finer vibrations in nature, and according to the aspects which the planet receives, these will be either good, bad or indifferent. If Neptune is strong and well aspected to the Sun, Jupiter or Uranus, we may judge that there is an intensely mystical nature latent in the person. Whether or not it will be developed is, ol course, another question depending upon opportunity and environment. On the other hand, if Neptune is afflicted, it indicates a very low men-

tality, perhaps even insanity. In any case the nature is visionary, romantic and generally impractical, at least from the worldly standard. The prophetic, inspirational and visionary faculties are usually highly developed when Neptune is unafflicted in the First House. There is a love of art and music, a desire for luxury and whatever gives power and tone to life. But when Neptune is afflicted in the First House the nature is indolent, procrastinating and changeable ; perverted tastes and desires come to the front and impel to acts of indiscretion which may bring grave consequences. There is indication of prostitution of the spiritual faculties ; a deceptive, dishonest disposition, also a tendency to mediumship and spirit obsession.

ty2 Neptune in the Second House and well aspected brings gain through all things in which water plays a prominent part ; also through mystic and occult matters and societies. But if Neptune is afflicted the financial affairs of the person will always be in an uncertain, chaotic state.

^3 Neptune in the Third House, when wellaspected enhances the mental faculties to a considerable degree. It gives ability in the direction of inspirational writing and speaking, high ideals, a devotional mind. But when Neptune is afflicted in the Third House the mind is of a low order, cunning, sometimes imbecile and

idiotic, subject to weird and uncanny feelings and perverted appetites. Neptune in the Third House also gives a tendency to many journeys, frequently by water, but whether or not they are successful depends upon the other aspects.

Neptune in the Fourth House, when wellaspected, gives a spiritual atmosphere to the home with unusual conditions for soul-growth through the relationships there formed, but when afflicted it brings fraud and deception, unhappiness and distrust, peculiar problems and many changes of residence. There is also a liability to extreme poverty at the close of life, even confinement in a public institution of charity.

Neptune in the Fifth House, strong and wellaspected, indicates a successful courtship of one of a highly advanced spiritual nature, success as a teacher of mystic matters, and gain by investment in things ruled by Neptune, aquatic sports and any other business in which the watery element is strong.

Neptune in the Sixth House, well-aspected, is a favorable indication of latent psychic faculties which may be developed with profit from the spiritual point of view . But when afflicted it predisposes to the prostitution of spiritual faculties by mediumship, etc. Thus the person may become subject to spirit control and run grave