Neptune, another of the outer Planets, was discovered in 1846. Its slow orbit around our Zodiac ensures that its effect is generational in nature.

The glyph for Neptune is the trident of Poseidon, God of the Seas. Much about this Planet is fluid (Neptune rules the oceans of the Earth), changeable and illusory in nature. Dreams, illusion, abstract thought and the mysterious are all governed by Neptune. Our spirituality is important to this Planet, as is how we harness that energy for our personal betterment. Neptune invites us to let its energy wash over us and to use a meditative state to gain insights and heightened awareness. Poetry, music and dance are among the trancelike activities which this Planet favours.

Neptune does have its showier side, too, as it rules movies, television, theatre, fashion and all forms of glamour. In essence, Neptune is creating an illusion - of what is enchanting on the outside and captivating within. Neptune has a mystique, which doesn't reveal itself easily. It can be a poser, too, dabbling in flattery and subversion.

The shadow side of Neptune is akin to the ageing stage star who cannot make one more curtain. When the lights are low, this Planet plays in a netherworld of drugs, alcohol, trances and hypnosis. On its darker days, Neptunian energy reeks of escapism; it's a sea of delusion, hypochondria and abnormality. Sleep and dreams are also ruled by this Planet.

It takes Neptune 165 years to complete its whirl around the Zodiac, spending roughly 14 years in each Sign. Its feminine energy rules Pisces and the Twelfth House. Neptune is known as the higher octave of Venus and is the second of the transcendental Planets.