The Zodiac Dispatch: Why Neptune retrograde is a time to seek new truths

Recently – on 25 June to be exact – the US government released a report on UFOs. The lead-up to the dossier had everyone atwitter: would this be the official confirmation that we’re not alone in the cosmos? 
 
Alas, the document concluded that there was ‘limited data and inconsistent reporting’. But what we witnessed was an official reality check concerning UFOs, rather than more bureaucratic smoke and mirrors on the topic of ‘life out there’. 
 
So, what does this have to do with astrology? The Zodiac Dispatch is interested in the significance surrounding 25 June because it coincides exactly with Neptune retrograde.
 
When a planet goes retrograde, it’s like putting a car in reverse or neutral, instead of leaving it in drive. The planet’s influence slows down, reverses, or pauses. The most well-known retrograde relates to Mercury, the planet of speech and expression. When this planet starts its cosmic backspin, communication tends to get more difficult. The astrological advice during these relatively quick transits is to take stock, slow down, and think about what you’re saying and writing. 
 
Neptune retrogrades are of a different ilk, as this planet represents the world beyond our ken. It stands for the unconscious, delusion, dreams, and artifice. Its function is to blur fantasy and reality. When Neptune goes retrograde, however, all of its dream work reverses and we’re forced to confront sober truths. The start of a Neptune retrograde is like a mist clearing. We see ourselves, the world and our universe in a more honest light.
 
On a personal level, a Neptune retrograde might nudge us to stop deluding ourselves about a relationship or a job. On a cosmic level, it may prompt us to be driven less by fantasy and instead draw us closer to a space where science fiction looks more like reality.