Neptun si sanatatea Imagine yourself lying down to sleep, and as you roll over, you begin to dream.

Soon youre swept away to a beautiful field of poppies and snapdragons. You feel alive, free and unbound as you breeze through the flowers. As if in a trance, you lift off your feet and begin to fly high into the air over the fields below. You have forgotten the petty concerns of your everyday life and are ecstatically merged with the moment, this dream, this experience. You have entered the world of Neptune, the outer planet associated with dreams, transcendence, enchantment and spiritual experiences. Neptune helps us to rise above our ordinary perceptions and merge with transcendent energy. This can happen through a dream like I described above, through listening to a piece of music or through meditation and prayer. It can also happen through taking drugs and alcohol, which give the user an immediate perception of elation but then quickly return one to the ground, leaving one cloudy, confused and eventually debilitated.

Neptune and the Immune System

In medical astrology, Neptune is related to the immune system. The immune system's function is to ward off illness and disease and to protect against any invading microbes and bacteria that could be harmful. Those with a strong emphasis on Neptune* in their charts are often more sensitive and susceptible to poisons and toxins that can adversely affect their immune system. When our immune system is strong, we feel healthy and vibrant and can live in the world without being overwhelmed and overpowered. When our immune system is low, we feel run down and wilted like an old flower. We get colds more easily and we feel the pressure and stress of the outside world more acutely. We are more sensitive to any barbs and criticisms aimed at us, and at the worst, we can feel victimized and powerless in life. In the second part of this series, I will explore nutritional and herbal suggestions for building and maintaining a good immune system. In this article, I want to look at some of the ways we can develop a healthy immune system through lifestyle choices.

Faith and Healing

Turn on the television to the religious channel. Eventually you will find a time slot devoted to faith healing. Most of us have seen the images of crippled and infirm people staggering to a stage where a charismatic preacher will lay his hands on the sickly believers. Through the power of Jesus! the preacher cries, and the ill person falls backward into the arms of assistants. Later, the believer gets up and proclaims that the illness has been cured, whether it be paralysis, crippling arthritis or depression. This sight may make some of us grin and think its a hoax, but in actuality, faith has a strong connection to healing. Scientific studies have shown that when patients believe they are going to get better, the likelihood of healing increases remarkably. In studies where some patients were given real medications and others were given placebos, both sets of patients healed from their illnesses at about the same rate.

The professional attitude of the doctor, the belief in his powers and pills from a bottle were all that was needed to convince someone they could heal. How different is this from the preacher faith healing on a stage? Neptune teaches us that our feelings, perceptions and thought patterns profoundly affect the health of our immune system and our ability to heal or remain sick. Some of the best ways to improve our health are through creative visualization and prayer. For some cancer patients, this means envisioning a tumor being surrounded by a ball of glowing white light and radiating love into that diseased area. For others, it may mean creating a ritual where the objects on an altar are symbolic of the healing taking place. It has been said that faith moves mountains. When one prays deeply, the most ingrained illnesses can miraculously disappear.

Music and Aromatherapy

It has also been shown in studies that music and scent can help relax and ease ones worries so that healing takes place more effectively. A sonata by Mozart, a piece of jazz by Miles Davis or even a rock and roll show can help us to release any tension we are holding. Aromatherapy in the form of essential oils or even the smell of good cooking can also help erase anxiety. In some hotels and shops, certain fragrances are emitted to bring contentment to clients. These methods teach us that altering moods can positively affect our health and well-being.

Conclusion
Like a beautiful field of flowers in a dream, Neptune helps us to realize states of bliss and transcendence. When we use our imagination and prayers to help us heal, our immune system can fight off disease and illness more easily. Listening to a favorite piece of music or wearing a soothing fragrance all have the effect of alleviating tension and bringing peace and tranquility to our system. Ultimately, Neptune teaches us to transcend the everyday aches and pains in life and visualize the best health and well being for ourselves. Good health to you!

Notes
*A chart is said to be strongly influenced by Neptune if it has one or more of the following factors: 1) the Sun, Moon or a group of planets in the sign Pisces, 2) several planets in the Twelfth House, which is associated with Neptune, 3) the planet Neptune is angular in their charts, meaning close to the cusp of the First, Fourth, Seventh or Tenth House or 4) Neptune is in a significant planetary configuration (conjunction, trine, square or opposition) with the Sun, Moon or other planets. Imagine yourself as a sailor in the middle ages, traveling by boat across a great ocean to discover new lands. As you travel, the skies grow dark and the waters start to get choppier and the waves grow taller. Soon the light rain turns to a torrential downpour as your craft is overtaken by a tremendous storm. The clouds crack with thunder and lightning and your ship sways and buckles with each toss and turn of the sea. You quickly move from one side of the ship to the other to slacken and tighten the ropes, busily trying to steady the vessel for the next rush of wind, the next swell of whitecaps. In this dangerous and scary experience, you may make a quick but heartfelt prayer to the god of the ocean, known since antiquity as Neptune.

Working with the archetype of Neptune means being able to navigate the water realm, to maintain balance and fluidity in the face of difficulty and trial. When adverse conditions come our way, the wisdom of Neptune helps us to bend and flow through problems and maintain a deep resiliency and strength, no matter what the struggle. In medical astrology, Neptune is connected to the immune system. The immune system is comprised of a network of lymph glands and vessels that help protect us from disease and illness. By nourishing our immune system, we strengthen our ability to throw off toxins and withstand physical and emotional stress. Like the sailors in the boat, we gain the ability and skills to navigate stormy seas and travel through difficult weather. In part one of this series, I discussed the use of faith, visualization and aromatherapy for strengthening the immune system. In this article, I want to outline some herbal and nutritional ways of augmenting and nourishing our immune system.

Herbs for Your Immune System

Echinacea: Echinacea has become tremendously popular and is one of the main herbs people buy for first aid throughout the country. Echinacea has antibiotic and anti-bacterial qualities that make it one of the first herbs people use at the initial signs of a cold or an infection. Echinacea works in two different ways. The first way is to fight illness directly by inhibiting the hyalurinodase enzyme, which causes the spread of bacteria. The other way is to encourage the growth of white blood cells, which boosts the immune level and helps the body to fight off illness. Astragalus: This Chinese herb has long been known for its ability to strengthen the immune system and to help fight off colds, flu and disease. This is an especially good herb for those who are weak and disabled and need a strengthening and building tonic. Astragalus builds energy levels, improves the digestion and nourishes the lungs, allowing the body to heal itself more easily. Reishi mushroom: This fungus is one of the most powerful immune system tonics in the world. Known as an adaptogen, reishi helps us to adapt to stress and ward off its negative influence on our health. Reishi also helps alleviate allergies and food sensitivities often associated with Neptune. Like Echinacea, reishi promotes the growth of white blood cells in the body. It is specifically noted for its ability to help with immune system disorders such as AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome and bacterial and viral infections.

Diet for a Healthy Immune System

In the modern world, it is difficult to avoid the emphasis on fast food, caffeinated beverages and sugar. This type of diet, however, leads to some of the greatest health problems in the world, including cancer and a host of immune system illnesses. For those of us with a strong emphasis on Neptune or Pisces (Neptunes ruling sign) in our charts*, there can be a greater sensitivity to food that is harmful and injurious to our immune system. That is why it is especially important to choose a diet that will help balance and strengthen our immunity. Here are some basic ideas for a good immune system building diet: Eat whole foods, choosing from a variety of grains and vegetables.

Include seaweeds such as dulce, kelp and hijiki to enhance immunity. Drink plenty of uncontaminated water to flush toxins through the system. Avoid eating late at night. Avoid alcohol and drugs. Avoid processed and pesticide-laden foods. Avoid caffeine, sugar and other stimulants that depress immunity.

Conclusion
Neptune has the effect of making us more susceptible to toxins in our diet and in our environment. Like the sailors overwhelmed by stormy weather in rough seas, these toxins can leave us weak and unbalanced. To help navigate these seas, it's important to learn the skills to avoid storms and fight off bad weather when it comes. With proper care and nourishment, we can strengthen our immune system so it stays vital and healthy and is capable of fighting off illness and dis-ease. Using some of the techniques from the previous article including prayer, visualization and aromatherapy, along with a good diet and strengthening herbs, we can help optimally protect and augment our health and immune system. These natural methods help us to avoid the negative aspects of Neptune while harmonizing with the positive influences of this ancient sea god. Good health to you!

Notes
*Neptune may be strong in your chart in terms of your health if it is in one of the angular houses (the First, Fourth, Seventh or Tenth), or if it is in the Sixth House of health. Neptune is emphasized if it conjoins or makes a strong aspect (angular relationship) to the Sun or Moon. Neptune is also powerful if there are many planets in Pisces in the chart.