February 28/29: The Sun in ecliptic conjunction to Neptune and the North America Nebula emphasizes the drama in our lives, making us reach extremes of transcendence and deception

     Once a year, the Sun transits conjunct the farthest gaseous planet, Neptune, starting a new cycle of angular relationships between them. As the start of a cycle is actually the seed of the potential to be developed later, it is important to determine the conditions of that moment to make an estimate of its consequences.

     However, the symbolism inherent in the combination of  both celestial bodies is always present in all astrological cycles... The Sun represents our consciousness, our identity, our ego and has a realistic approach to circumstances. Neptune, on the other hand, is associated with the transcendent part of life, whether through imagination, spirituality, psychology, art, altruism, social commitment, or, in a negative sense, through false expectations, deceptions, disappointments, sacrifice, victimization and evasion. The Sun and Neptune have contrasting astrological meanings, which can balance their respective trends, creating a counterweight between realism and imagination, between ego and spirituality, ultimately generating a transcendent consciousness. But they  can also interfere with each other, creating false expectations, strong delusions, inflated egos and psychotic tendencies. Where goes the combination Sun / Neptune on this occasion?

     In 2016, the Sun and Neptune begin their annual period in ecliptic conjunction to the North America Nebula, a vast star-forming region in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan. This one is a unique event because it will not be repeated in 165 years ... This nebula, whose silhouette vaguely suggests the form of the northern part of the American continent, is characterized by having a relative strong brightness, contrasting visually with the dark dust clouds around  in photographs. Therefore, any factor associated with the North America Nebula tends to stand out, to be obvious, to be promoted.

     The fact that the Sun / Neptune conjunction happens with the North America Nebula as a backdrop implies that both positive and negative manifestations of this combination will become obvious. Many frauds and deceptions, both personally and politically, will come to light. In particular, political propaganda, which promotes false ideals to win votes at the expense of people's illusions, will be exacerbated without any doubt. But the falsity of claims will also be exposed. In the art world, this conjunction coincides with the delivery of the Oscars, which promises a memorable event, as bright as the North America Nebula, since Neptune rules the film industry ... but we must not rule out some disappointments. Other manifestations and artistic events worldwide can participate in the splendor indicated by this astrological combination during the days to come.

     Beyond the artistic or political glamor exposed in the media, typical of the combination Sun / Neptune, this trend may act as a very effective distraction to divert the public's attention from serious problems, indicated by the preceding conjunction Ceres / Neptune a few days ago (see related article in the Galactic Guide). Among them we can mention pollution, the refugee crisis, political fraud and social, financial and public health problems... nothing new.  On a more positive sense, it is possible that, with their tendency to illuminate, the Sun and the North America Nebula will expose these problems and bring out the way forward to find effective solutions, generating more awareness of the problems humanity is facing... Insanity and delusion might be accentuated, or perhaps they will disappear abruptly, letting us see reality as it is and not as we would like it to be. And all this will happen in our minds, of course.

     On a more personal level, the Sun / Neptune / North America Nebula combination indicates an excellent time to develop our creativity, out of the routine of everyday life. While some people might take this as a pretext for evasion, it is possible to use imagination creatively to give it a realistic approach and manifest externally, avoiding ideas to remain idle in our brains. Meditative or psychoanalytic activities can bring to light important insights that can change the course of our lives. It is an ideal moment to transcend our personal ego and channel our energies towards important goals that transcend our little aversions, preferences and attachments. It is important to express positively our good ideas and talents as well as to avoid exaggeration, egocentric displays and vain, dramatic exhibitions.

    The need to give a transcendent framework to our lives will predominate, whether engulfing our minds on deception and inflated, false egos or deploying the resources of our imagination and creativity. And it's us, not the North America Nebula nor any other, who will decide which direction to follow... Get ready for the spectacle, because in any case, we are the protagonists of our own lives and  the dramatic tones will be highlighted.

Enjoy the show!

Carlos Duarte
Research Astrologer

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