More Pisces Than You Think

We know there's a lot of Pisces the sky right now, including the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Chiron and Neptune -- though there are quite a few minor planets there as well. Let's take a quick look at the better-known planets and then tune into the small ones.

False-color photo of Mercury, as mapped by the NASA MESSENGER probe. The color variation signifies the varying composition of rocks on Mercury's surface. Watch video here. Photo: NASA.

Venus has just made a conjunction to Neptune, beginning a new cycle between those two planets. This is the blend of tangible, worldly love and what you might think of as cosmic or mystical love. The two go well together, and while not lending themselves to realism, they can make your wildest ideals seem practical.

The Sun has just completed a conjunction to Chirion in Pisces, which took place in the midst of our Very Strange Week of politics; that was exact the day that Justice Scalia declared voting a racial entitlement and the statue of Rosa Parks was dedicated right down the street. Reality does not make as much sense as we think it should.

Chiron for its part is about to take a square aspect from Jupiter, the traditional ruler of Pisces. This has the flavor of activism to it; it's fighting the good fight for the good cause, whatever you think that might be. We're seeing some evidence of this in the now-heightened debate over gun control.

Then we have Sauer conjunct Chiron. To me that is saying: plot the orbit of justice, and follow the trajectory. Aim yourself in the direction of things going right. Stack the deck in your own favor, and if you know about this idea, in favor of the greatest good for all concerned.

While both sides are coming on pretty strong, clearly in Chiron style the underdogs -- those without the guns -- are going to win this round, and I believe the momentum will persist. This is due to Chiron-Jupiter; it's also due to the Uranus-Pluto square, and I would remind everyone that the Newtown incident, which spurred the current phase of the discussion, happened during the last week of the Mayan 13th baktun.

Calculations by Serennu.com.

Meanwhile, Mercury is retrograde, and will form its interior conjunction to the Sun on Monday, March 4. That is Mercury passing exactly between the Earth and Sun. It'a also the midway point of Mercury retrograde; the cycle is halfway over (Mercury stations direct on March 17).

What's interesting about this conjunction is that it takes place conjunct a relatively newly discovered planet named Borasisi. Named for one of the gods in the Kurt Vonnegut novel Cat's Cradle, Borasisi is about the relationship between truth, lies, belief and what we perceive as real. In a sense, it says, "reality is what you make it."

Notably, the novel and the planet have an association to the nuclear lies of one company, General Electric, though this can be extrapolated to include the entire nuclear dilemma. With a powerful conjunction taking place exactly conjunct Borasisi, be ready for some news out of the nuclear industry (as if being told, again, that Fukushima was not really toxic and that Hanford is leaking were not enough). The event could be covered up quickly, or it could represent an intellectual development (such as new data) that is buried by the press.

There are a few other bits in Pisces as well -- the full list is included in the chart to the right. Among the interesting aspects are Mars conjunct Heracles (as heroic as it gets, though in Pisces, you might not want credit), Amor conjunct Photographica and Salacia (great for creating sexy photos and for using photography to see someone differently) and Hygiea, which is reminding us that some Pisces are more obsessed with health, purity and neatness than many Virgos, which is not saying much at all.




Lots and Lots of Pisces

This week I have an exciting edition of Planet Waves FM for you, covering the ongoing, rapidly developing astrology in Pisces. This includes the Sun, retrograde Mercury, Venus and Mars in Pisces, along with slow-movers Chiron and Neptune.

Photo by Johanna.

This is a truly unusual alignment -- looking for anything as interesting in Pisces I had to go back to around 1967 to find something this cool.

After I cover the astrology -- and play a song by the Florida-based band Pilotwave -- I take a gander through the news, including looking at the chart for sequestration (that is, mandatory budget cuts that are going into effect March 1 -- today). I manage to skip the pope leaving office and look at the petition by a number of prominent Republicans who are supporting the right of lesbian and gay people to marry.

I read from and comment on an article in The New York Times -- here is that article. I had to leave out a lot of stories, though this week's newspapers read more like something out of fiction than the real world -- such is Mercury retrograde and a bunch of other planets in Pisces.




Your Monthly Horoscopes -- and our Publishing Schedule Notes

The March monthly extended horoscopes were published Friday, Feb. 22. The February monthly horoscope was published Friday, Jan. 25 -- I recommend reviewing the monthly horoscope at the end of the month. Inner Space for March was published Tuesday, Feb. 26. Note that the longer monthly horoscope is being incorporated into the Friday issue after the Sun has entered a new sign; a new Inner Space is still emailed on the following Tuesday. We published the Moonshine Horoscope for the Virgo Full Moon on Tuesday, Feb. 19. We will be publishing the Pisces New Moon Moonshine horoscope Tuesday, March 5.



Pisces Birthdays: The Living Reef

Pisces is a school of fish right now. Your sign is your environment -- there are likely to be a lot of interesting people around you. If there are not, make a conscious decision to open up and they are likely to arrive. Said another way, you have your options open, and because this is your solar return time, you will for at least the coming four seasons. Your life can become like a coral reef that hosts many different forms of life, many different kinds of people. Diversity is key, so make sure that you make your decisions accordingly. There is one reminder coming through -- you are bigger than your relationships. Most people and many Pisces live as if they are smaller than, or submissive to, their relationships and their partners. Now is the time to adjust that scale. You are the owner of your existence, or at least you are its steward. You have a life, and in that life, there are other people. You are the focal point of your own world. If you remember that, you'll be able to maintain a sense of scale and proportion. Remember, too, that the people who are drawn to you will make themselves known. They will demonstrate their care and respect. They will come in a spirit of exchange. You have plenty to offer them, and they have plenty to offer you, which sets the potential for an authentic sharing -- do not settle for anything less. Hello Pisces and Pisces rising -- your birthday reading is ready to go. It's two sessions of astrology covering all of the current wild astrology in your sign, a tarot reading and an extended sign description, plus charts and photos of the spread. All this is yours for just $19.95, money-back guarantee if you don't love it.

Weekly Horoscope for Friday, March 1, 2013 #940 | By Eric Francis
Aries (March 20-April 19) -- You may feel like you're living in two worlds -- one where you have to get everything right, and another where there are no rules. Actually the only rules you have to follow are the ones you've agreed to, and even those are probably negotiable. Check carefully for any sensation of being trapped, hemmed in or hidden away, and if you discover something, see if you can get a handle on why you feel that way. What seems to be happening is that you're being drawn into a dimension of yourself that's either unfamiliar or that has never been so present. This may have you feeling like you're going to slip off a ledge and tumble into an inner abyss. Well, kind of -- what's happening is that your imagination is firing up. Think of it as an inner life, an inner dimension, that has all its own customs. The more you try to pretend it's not there, the more chaotic you'll feel. The more you focus your energy inward, the more you will tap a rich well of imagination.


Taurus (April 19-May 20) -- One way to let go of old or stuck patterns is to meet new people, experience them and learn from them. Think of it as a kind of creative and emotional cross-pollination. There seem to be plenty of people and scenes available right now -- your social universe really is a universe, though to find it you'll need to get out of your house. This one isn't on the Internet; it's the one you can meet with all of your senses. One element of the astrological pattern is the ability to experiment with who you are, to shape-shift and test out different self-portrayals. You might do that with clothing, makeup or character, but really this is about psychic posture: how it feels to be you, which is unusually flexible right now. One other thing -- notice the role that people you already know have in your life, including those you've lost contact with and also those you've been in contact with all along. You can have a whole new conversation.


Gemini (May 20-June 21) -- Please apply your imagination to your career. Do not look for a job. Do not re-do your resume. Use your incredibly beautiful imagination and consider the possibilities. Now is not the time to consider the flaws in your plan, your limits or any practical matters -- it's the time to unfold your idea of your potential. It's also the time to consider the power and value of the experience you've already gained. Said another way, I suggest you take an inventory of what you know, what you've done and your talents. Then, think of them in different combinations and see if that sparks any ideas. As you do that, try to remember what you want to do. You may think that's easy to recall, though I am proposing that you're going to remember something you've forgotten. What were you doing and thinking in March 2010, February 2011 or February 2012? I suggest you go through your notebooks, email, diary and photo library and sift through them like you're panning for gold.


Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- It is unfortunate that our ideas about birth, sex, the cosmos, consciousness and death have all been taken over by religion. I don't mean influenced -- I mean taken over, as in bought the bank, raided, invaded and infiltrated. It seems like you're on a quest to set yourself free of these things, though it would help to know what you're setting yourself free from. Don't invest too much energy in that, however -- just know that it's something that has co-opted everything, or has tried to, and that your actual reality is about something entirely different. You may experience some discomfort as you stretch past your previous boundaries, a little like shimmying under barbed wire and getting scuffed up in the process. You may feel like someone is going to challenge or persecute you. You might feel guilty, as if you're doing something wrong by opening up to your potential. If so, keep going -- you're moving in the direction of freedom of conscience, passion and love.


Leo (July 22-Aug. 23) -- This is the time to focus on money. No matter how spiritual, innocent, pure of heart, loving in your intentions, motivated by authentic creativity and truly generous you are, work what you're doing until it creates the profits that are coming your way. All your other attributes are what is feeding your energy and your potential -- not subtracting, or presenting any moral issues. There is (mainly fed by one reference in the Bible) an alleged prohibition on doing anything 'good' for money, which leads directly to a world where a lot of people think the only thing they can do is something detrimental, hurtful or exploitative. You are currently in the midst of some form of abundance; you have plenty to offer, and to share. There are many productive exchanges going on in your life, and what you're involved with -- or can choose to become involved with -- is there to create benefit for everyone, including financial gain for you. PS, this is not a matter of 'luck'.


Virgo (Aug. 23-Sep. 22) -- You seem to be trying to sort out your relationships, though have you considered that this is a great time to be lost in the midst of them? By that I mean that they don't need to make sense, they don't need to stay the same and you don't need to adhere to any one person or concept of what a relationship is. I know how nervous living this way can make some people feel -- like they have no boundaries. The thing is, most people's rules (which are like pretend boundaries) are so rigid that sooner or later they end up frustrated (or drunk) and throw them away and wing it. So while you're exploring, be mindful of how you feel. Speaking of alcohol, have some ideas about what decisions you'll make when this stuff is in the environment or in your body. Know where you are and what you're doing there. Make sure you say yes when you mean yes, no when you mean no, and maybe when you need some time to think about it (those are the most useful boundaries anyone can have).


Libra (Sep. 22-Oct. 23) -- There are two approaches available to you: competitive or inclusive. Said this way, the choice seems obvious, though every influence in our society is about turning relationships into a zero-sum game. That means a game with many losers and just one winner. The game you want is one where everyone wins. One thing to remember is that there is plenty of you to go around: plenty of love, empathy and appreciation of diversity. You don't have to 'commit' yourself to anyone or anything the way that you were told you had to in the past. The person you need to be committed to is yourself and your own cause, meaning: know your wants and needs. Know what values are guiding you. What I suggest is that you let your imagination guide you, and see who harmonizes with you. Remind yourself how much you have to offer, and you will also remember why it makes sense that others would have so much to offer you. If you bump up against some limit on your self-esteem, climb over it, walk around it or keep going.


Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 22) -- By almost every indication this will be one of the most interesting times in your erotic life -- a big statement, when made in the company of Scorpio. Pisces, your solar house of art, sex, pleasure and taking risks, is swimming with planets right now, including Venus and Mars. I am sure you want to indulge yourself and really have some fun. Yet there seems to be something that's holding you back, some hesitancy or misgiving. You may feel like your head is getting in the way of your heart. This is worth pausing over and considering what's up. Do you have a commitment to someone else, whether in reality or in your own private thoughts? Do you feel guilty, as if you're taking something away from someone else? Just because you feel that way doesn't make it true, though there does seem to be something you need to disconnect from, rooted in the past -- and there is nothing stopping you from doing so. The truth is you cannot love or make love at some abstract time in the future -- these are pleasures reserved for those who are able to focus on the present. So call yourself into moment you're actually in, and enjoy your life.


Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 22) -- I suggest you project all of your confidence into the relationship of your choice. Your life is not as complex as it seems; you're merely allowing yourself to feel all the things that usually don't influence you. The astrology is so strong that denial or pretending won't work; it's time to actually acknowledge how you feel. I suggest you do this regardless of the rules, or what you think anyone else might have to say about it. The message of the planets is that your life is your life; you and your time are not the property of someone else. That includes anyone in your family who, whether currently or in the past, has (or had) something to say about who you relate to and how. You may not think this a factor, but I suggest you investigate further. One of the issues involved seems to be that someone put into your mind the fear of going deep -- the fear of emotional bonding, whether directly or indirectly -- through their words or actions. You have a different idea about life, and a different plan for yourself.


Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 20) -- There's no one correct answer to any of the questions you're asking yourself, and no one right thing for you to be doing. I suggest therefore that you do what you feel good doing, to the extent that you can. I recognize you may have certain time constraints (such as work) but that's unlikely to go 24 hours a day. With as much time as you have available, do what you feel good doing. This includes anything from the movies you feel like seeing to the books you feel like reading to the places you want to visit. Live like it's your life, and like you're free to move about, think and experience what you want. As you start to do this, you might notice some odd little reservations you have, as if you're doing the wrong thing by making your own choices. It's worth taking a moment to marvel at how that could possibly be -- which can serve to enhance your resolve to fully take advantage of the bold but simple fact that you're alive.



Note to Aquarius and Aquarius rising readers: Your birthday reading is ready. I cover entirely new territory from what I did in LISTEN, the 2013 annual edition. I review the ways in which Aquarius itself has been changing and evolving. I describe your process of discovering your sense of mission; of opening up your inner life; and relationships based on creative exploration first and 'commitment' second. It's two sessions of astrology plus tarot, with an extended description of your sign -- and access to last year's reading so that you can verify my accuracy. You can get instant access here.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) -- By one measure, everything comes down to self-esteem. I feel like I keep mentioning this for you, and given what's developing in your chart, it's worth another look. In fact, this is likely to be an ongoing spiritual project for the next few years, though you have a great opportunity to make some unusual progress right now. The only thing that could get in the way of feeling good about yourself is an incorrect idea, or a self-deception of some kind. Belief, and in particular, your beliefs about you, have a way of dictating your whole reality. You don't need to worry about what is true -- only what is false. Therefore, I suggest you go on a search for ideas or concepts that are in some way self-deceptive; for lies about yourself that you've believed; and for thoughts that are based on being in any way 'less than'. If you recognize what is not true, what is true will be obvious, as will what to do about it.


Hello Pisces! So many planets in Pisces means this is a brilliant moment for you, and your 2013 birthday reading looks at this astrology carefully. Chiron, the planet of healing, Neptune, planet of inspiration, and Mercury retrograde are all included. You now have the ability to develop a gift for business and financial success, if you focus your creative talents and work cooperatively with others -- and I explain how to do that effectively. This reading is two 40-minute sessions of astrology, a tarot reading and an extended written description of your astrological sign. I've also included access to last year's reading so you can review the past 12 months and check my accuracy. Here is a link to that affordably priced reading -- which is like an extended, personal meditation on your life. You will love it -- promise.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- At the moment, under a sky with seven planets gathered in your sign, you have a remarkable ability to be seen for who you are. You also have the potential to demonstrate to others the aspects of your personality that you want to emphasize and be known for. However, I would suggest just one thing, in several different forms. Don't try to convince anyone of anything. Nor is this the time to pursue anyone. Those who have an interest in you will come to you. Those who like and appreciate you will let you know. It may be possible to sell yourself to someone, or to be persuasive in some way. But it's not necessary and I believe will ultimately work against your best interests. The people you want to connect with are those who are already committed, who see you as you want to be seen, and who value you for who you are. Focusing on anyone else will distract your attention and you may miss the very best that life has to offer you -- and it's definitely offering.