Imagine yourself lying down to sleep, and as you roll over, you begin to dream. Soon you’re swept away to a beautiful field of poppies and snapdragons. You feel alive, free and unbound as you breeze through the flowers. As if in a trance, you lift off your feet and begin to fly high into the air over the fields below. You have forgotten the petty concerns of your everyday life and are ecstatically merged with the moment, this dream, this experience. You have entered the world of Neptune, the outer planet associated with dreams, transcendence, enchantment and spiritual experiences.

Neptune helps us to rise above our ordinary perceptions and merge with transcendent energy. This can happen through a dream like I described above, through listening to a piece of music or through meditation and prayer. It can also happen through taking drugs and alcohol, which give the user an immediate perception of elation but then quickly return one to the ground, leaving one cloudy, confused and eventually debilitated.

Neptune and the Immune System

In medical astrology, Neptune is related to the immune system. The immune system's function is to ward off illness and disease and to protect against any invading microbes and bacteria that could be harmful. Those with a strong emphasis on Neptune* in their charts are often more sensitive and susceptible to poisons and toxins that can adversely affect their immune system. When our immune system is strong, we feel healthy and vibrant and can live in the world without being overwhelmed and overpowered. When our immune system is low, we feel run down and wilted like an old flower. We get colds more easily and we feel the pressure and stress of the outside world more acutely. We are more sensitive to any barbs and criticisms aimed at us, and at the worst, we can feel victimized and powerless in life.

In the second part of this series, I will explore nutritional and herbal suggestions for building and maintaining a good immune system. In this article, I want to look at some of the ways we can develop a healthy immune system through lifestyle choices.

Faith and Healing

Turn on the television to the religious channel. Eventually you will find a time slot devoted to faith healing. Most of us have seen the images of crippled and infirm people staggering to a stage where a charismatic preacher will lay his hands on the sickly believers. “Through the power of Jesus!” the preacher cries, and the ill person falls backward into the arms of assistants. Later, the believer gets up and proclaims that the illness has been cured, whether it be paralysis, crippling arthritis or depression.

This sight may make some of us grin and think it’s a hoax, but in actuality, faith has a strong connection to healing. Scientific studies have shown that when patients believe they are going to get better, the likelihood of healing increases remarkably. In studies where some patients were given real medications and others were given placebos, both sets of patients healed from their illnesses at about the same rate. The professional attitude of the doctor, the belief in his powers and pills from a bottle were all that was needed to convince someone they could heal. How different is this from the preacher faith healing on a stage?

Neptune teaches us that our feelings, perceptions and thought patterns profoundly affect the health of our immune system and our ability to heal or remain sick. Some of the best ways to improve our health are through creative visualization and prayer. For some cancer patients, this means envisioning a tumor being surrounded by a ball of glowing white light and radiating love into that diseased area. For others, it may mean creating a ritual where the objects on an altar are symbolic of the healing taking place. It has been said that faith moves mountains. When one prays deeply, the most ingrained illnesses can miraculously disappear.

Music and Aromatherapy

It has also been shown in studies that music and scent can help relax and ease one’s worries so that healing takes place more effectively. A sonata by Mozart, a piece of jazz by Miles Davis or even a rock and roll show can help us to release any tension we are holding. Aromatherapy in the form of essential oils or even the smell of good cooking can also help erase anxiety. In some hotels and shops, certain fragrances are emitted to bring contentment to clients. These methods teach us that altering moods can positively affect our health and well-being.

Conclusion

Like a beautiful field of flowers in a dream, Neptune helps us to realize states of bliss and transcendence. When we use our imagination and prayers to help us heal, our immune system can fight off disease and illness more easily. Listening to a favorite piece of music or wearing a soothing fragrance all have the effect of alleviating tension and bringing peace and tranquility to our system. Ultimately, Neptune teaches us to transcend the everyday aches and pains in life and visualize the best health and well being for ourselves. Good health to you!

Notes

*A chart is said to be strongly influenced by Neptune if it has one or more of the following factors: 1) the Sun, Moon or a group of planets in the sign Pisces, 2) several planets in the Twelfth House, which is associated with Neptune, 3) the planet Neptune is “angular” in their charts, meaning close to the cusp of the First, Fourth, Seventh or Tenth House or 4) Neptune is in a significant planetary configuration (conjunction, trine, square or opposition) with the Sun, Moon or other planets.