Jupiter Joins Neptune: The Big Dream

I touch the cool doorknob and turn the handle. The door opens and I pause on the outside stoop for a moment, then slowly step down the stairs – one, two, three. I look up and feel the sun warm my face. The soft spring breeze whispers, and the birds sound happy. I slowly, carefully place one foot in front of the other, down the little walkway. Arriving at the sidewalk, I turn and continue on. I pick up the pace, a little faster now. There is a pleasant, smooth sound to my thick-soled Hoka sneakers, squishy rubber against the hard pavement. Pat-pat-pat, steady I go, hearing each footfall.

Before I know it, I’m at the end of the block… walking without aid, without my knee scooter or my speed sticks.*

I keep going, past one more house, then another. A little more speed now. Can I run? I try it, tentatively at first, but then faster and faster. It feels so good! The cool air fills my lungs and I’m flying down the sidewalk… slap-slap-slap go my powerful feet against the concrete. I run for miles, my legs moving quickly, my feet free and easy. It all feels so effortless.

But… what’s real? What’s imagination? 

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I can’t think of a more appropriate exercise to do as expansive Jupiter meets imaginative Neptune at 24° Pisces on April 12th (9:42am CT) than a visualization of myself walking strongly and easily. The sign of Pisces rules the feet, after all.

In reality, I haven’t walked to the end of the block without aid in seven years: A crush injury to my foot changed my life.** Everything I mentioned above lives only in my mind.

When two planets join up, they always begin a new cycle together. Although Jupiter and Neptune come together every 13 years, it’s been over 150 years since they’ve aligned in Pisces. The cosmos is offering a fresh start – like never before in our lifetime – in the areas of healing, imagination, dreaming, spirituality, meditation and prayer, forgiveness, connection to something larger than ourselves, and creativity of all kinds. Pisces can also be about endings, so it’s an equally good opportunity to surrender that which isn’t aligned with your soul purpose and to release unhealthy coping patterns.

Because Jupiter and Neptune move slowly, this cosmic energy has been building for weeks, and will remain in effect for the next month or so.

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Now that the snow has melted in Minneapolis and spring is finally here, I’m embracing the belief that this is the year I make it to the end of the block on my own two feet – without any support. I’ve been doing the daily physical therapy, and hopefully the moment will arrive in the months to come.

Part of my preparation includes the above fortifying visualization: After all, how can you ever really do a thing, if you don’t first see it in your mind? Guided imagery is what elite athletes do when they’re training for a game or a race; it’s what people with injuries do to move themselves in the direction of recovery… and it’s what all of us can do as well, to connect to the healing, restorative inner voice that propels us in a new and more nourishing direction.

So, my big dream? It’s to walk around the lake near our house… but it begins with making it to the end of the block.*** And in order to do that, I first have to imagine what’s possible.

As we grieve the many changes in our personal lives and in our world – sensitive Pisces is also the sign of grief, loss, deception, and confusion – we are being encouraged to compassionately consider: How do we hold fast to our beautiful dreams? What promising future can we envision when there are so many challenges? How can we take our collective sadness, and lovingly release it? Can we believe in our ability to heal ourselves and the world?

Hopeful Jupiter and gentle Neptune in tender Pisces are offering the chance to lean into inspiration: What’s your big dream?

Writing and photo ©2022 Jen Braun, JJ Boots Productions LLC  

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 *Also known as crutches. Isn’t “speed sticks” more fun??

**I’ve written about this previously: Check out Scorpio Full Moon: Life Lessons on Letting Go and Capricorn New Moon: Step by Step.

***Feel free to follow me on Instagram, where I plan to occasionally post some walking updates!