Neptune Retrograde Unveils Hidden Truths
Neptune Retrograde—which began on July 4 and lasts until December 10, 2026—is one of astrology's most illuminating cosmic events. During this transit, the planet of dreams, intuition, fantasy, and illusion appears to move backwards through the sky, encouraging us to look behind the veil, under the facade, and beneath the surface. This is a time to dispel secrets, delusions, and blind spots, even those of our own making. We often come to believe the stories we've been telling ourselves. Neptune Retrograde is a reality-check season when truths emerge, rose-tinted glasses come off, and situations we've been avoiding become impossible to ignore. The truth may surprise you, but it can also set you free. Let's use the tarot to find out what it means for your sign.
Aries (March 21–April 20): Queen of Coins
This is all about the power you should be taking on, the accountability that belongs to you, and the control you must wield but have given over to others. Perhaps this is a shift in a relationship dynamic (from child to parent), perhaps in work scope or tasks or leadership, maybe at home or in your financial realm. It may be something you've blamed others for or felt they had more power than you. The truth is that you just haven't ever wielded the power you have; you never flexed those muscles so you never saw their impact. It's time now. Take responsibility—it will feel good. What you must do now: Take control with independent decisions and actions.
Taurus (April 21–May 21): Five of Swords
You're already in the battle, whether you like it or not and whether you started it or not. Someone sees you as a rival or threat and they make their gameplays and moves. You need to fight back. And that doesn't mean fighting as such. It means recognising the behaviour and unpicking the true intentions, then protecting yourself first and foremost, while ideally getting to the root cause of things and bringing a resolution, truce, or ending. What you must do now: Observe their actions, decode them, find the root cause, defuse it.
Gemini (May 22–June 21): Five of Wands
All of the emotional and interpersonal tensions you've been experiencing this last month or so are actually signals. Ones that you have been ignoring, so they've been getting stronger. Stop. Think. Look at where the stress and strain is coming from, jump into their shoes and see things through their lens. What is driving the real discord between you? Who is not 'in their lane'? When you see the noise as merely symptoms of an underlying mismatch or tussle of power or insecurity, you can much better understand it, have some sympathy even, and take fruitful steps to get out of it. You don't want to remain stuck in someone else's dissatisfaction, projected onto you. Be smart, be ruthless, be strategic. Change the game. What you must do now: Disengage, step back, review analytically. Play a new game.
Cancer (June 22–July 23): Knight of Wands
Life is not supposed to be completely predictable, under control, and certain. Life is a journey of discovery and an adventure, and that means allowing the chaos and uncertainty, and ploughing ahead anyway instead of retreating to your shell. Balancing your love of a wild time, a new exploration, and new horizons with your equal love of home, security, and certainty is a lifelong mission for Cancerian folk. Recently you have maybe veered too far one way, or the other. Can you feel that? Summer is the time to lean into the adventure side of things and you are ready to make that happen for yourself and drop all the (plausible but also paralysing) excuses and justifications for staying put. What you must do now: Plan something new every week this summer, and do it.
Leo (July 24–August 23): Three of Coins
The deep-seated factory setting of seeking applause and admiration and approval thrives within you because you love to be loved, so you have always tried very hard to be loveable, in all ways and means. But it gets tiring, right? Let me tell you a secret: you don't need to try so hard or work so much on this. You don't have to be anything to anyone; you can just relax and flow in your own unique, happy-go-lucky way and folk will still draw closer. You're ruled by the Sun and possess natural charisma, warmth, and vitality. You are loveable. Always. What you must do now: Resist all urges to impress and people-please. Simply be yourself and do as suits you.
Virgo (August 24–September 23): Two of Wands
You have lost focus. Because you're so capable and strong, you often end up taking on others' responsibilities and tasks, fixing what you can see is not working, doing more than your fair share. This has gone on too long and now you have drifted away from your own North Star, your own agenda and list of priorities. Reboot. Come back to yourself and put yourself first. They're all grown up and can take care of themselves (they've just been selfishly happy to let you do it). Ultimately, you're not really helping them either; you're just letting them put off finding the real solutions. What you must do now: Relinquish all responsibility that is not uniquely yours to bear.
Libra (September 24–October 23): The Tower
Libra, you know, deep down, that something has run its course, is about to blow up, can't carry on as it is. And secretly you're wishing it would all just take care of itself and stop. That is about to happen, so buckle up because it might be a little explosive and unexpected. But, ultimately, the end result is liberation and the chance to rebuild on firmer foundations, and you shouldn't suppress or resist this collapse or revelation or ending. Actually, you are going to feel very relieved. The Universe has stepped in and kicked this over for you; say a little prayer of thanks, even if the process is a bit messy. There's nothing worse than living with the dread of something bad happening. You are moving out of that phase and into action. It's going to be fine; this is all for the best. What you must do now: Prepare to ride the waves and focus on starting anew.
Scorpio (October 24–November 22): Three of Wands
You're not going crazy; you are seeing signs and omens, and they are trying to tell you something. Neptune has been trying to send signals to you for a long time, maybe on behalf of a guide or ancestor or past self… and the vivid dreams, coincidences, angel numbers, visions, deja vu, or spooky moments you've encountered these last three weeks are the product of that. So tune in. Listen carefully, notice, write things down, join the dots. Get a reading, meditate, daydream, draw, let your imagination roam. The ideas and insights coming your way this retrograde are game-changing, from a higher self perspective, and could lead you towards the kind of future you were built for. This is about purpose seeking. What you must do now: Notice and record the signs you receive. Join the dots.
Sagittarius (November 23–December 21): Eight of Swords
You have been projecting your own dislikes, fears, or insecurities onto other folk, imagining that it's their opinion of you which is the problem. And it's not. It's what you think about yourself. So, look in the mirror and voice these assumptions. Question them. Notice how they spark a throat clench, or gut feel, or tension. You know truly that you have been being very hard on yourself and using judgment as a punishment. Stop this now. Other people think you're great, or they think nothing at all, or they're too busy thinking about themselves. Seriously, it's not worth your brain power. Wipe the slate clean and start fresh with folk. Remove all assumption. What you must do now: Stop trying to imagine what other people think of you. Full stop.
Capricorn (December 22–January 21): Seven of Wands
You are much more competitive than you like to admit (because it means some kind of reliance or engagement with other folk—usually ones you don't much like) and that actually competition is a positive fuel for you. Engage with it. Know your rivals or targets, make a game of it, and win. You are strong, clever, and hardworking; you can outlast and outpoint anyone anytime, so put this superpower into play and enjoy wielding it, instead of pretending you're not bothered or motivated. What you must do now: See the game being played and start playing to win.
Aquarius (January 22–February 19): The Lovers
You don't feel clear about what you're doing, why, and whether it's even the right course of action anymore. So, step back and take a breather. What is tempting you elsewhere? What distraction has interrupted your flow? Is it valid? What are the consequences of changing course? Are you prepared to pay that price? The Lovers shows up when the way ahead is clouded with alternatives, conflicted feelings, and new options. It just requires us to pressure test our thinking and maybe tweak our strategy. This is a worthwhile exercise. Don't waste your energy in places you don't want to be anymore. Things change. Maybe you've changed. What you must do now: Pause and review the situation, pinpoint the options, and work them through to a clear decision.
Pisces (February 20–March 20): King of Coins
You want more. Despite everything, no matter how far you've already come, you still want more, and that's okay. In fact it's good. Desire and appetite are driving factors for progress and improvement, so let yourself feel this fully. Admit what it is you need. State your ideas and visions, believe in them, and breathe life into them. You deserve what you desire. If not, why not? Pisces, put yourself first, play to win, and go get what it is you really want. Life's too short for otherwise. What you must do now: Share your desires and pursue them.
Kerry King has been reading, teaching, and creating tarot for 30 years. Join her magical, exclusive Tarot Club for forecasts, predictions, lessons, and readings straight to your inbox. Enjoy one month free for all Metro readers (no lock-in or commitment) over on Patreon.
