Water has both the power to sustain life, and the power to drown it . A soft nurturer, yet, given enough time, will carve rock into a grand canyon.
Like the rest of the elements, Fire, Earth, and Air, Water expresses itself in dualities. A pendulum that swings from one extreme to another in search of balance. As we say farewell to the social, Air of Aquarius season, we step with the Sun, into the sensitively intuitive waters of Pisces.
Pisces, per the Zodiac, signifies the end of the resting phase of the year. The ending of Winter. It is a time of looking forward, planning for the return of warmth, and the re-awakening of life. It is a time of reflection as our four seasons journey around the Sun comes to its conclusion. It is a transition period from the dead of Winter to the re-birth of Spring.
We cannot unravel the soul of Pisces without first unraveling the ebb and flow of elemental Water. Let’s dive in.
Feelings.
How’s that for an ice breaker? Do we dare go there? We must first clarify that feelings are not to be confused with needs, wants, or thoughts, those things belong to Earth, Fire, and Air. We just aren’t always taught to recognize the difference. In fact, we are often taught to suppress our feelings. We have all been told at some point, “Don’t cry.” Water gives us permission. It is a natural part of who we are. Our feelings are meant to be felt, recognized, visited with, and understood. It is through the acceptance of our own feelings that we maintain homeostasis, the balance of our inner being.
The three Water signs of the Zodiac are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces. While Water brings its key characteristics of intuitiveness, empathy, and deeply felt emotions to all three signs, it plays an unique role for each. Cancer, the nurturer, ruled by the Moon, the mother. Scorpio, sees what is hidden, guarded, yet loyal once trust is established, ruled by Pluto, lord of the underworld, and Mars, the warrior.
That brings us to Pisces.
Pisces senses its connection to others, to its environment, and to something greater than itself. Profoundly sensitive it may be overwhelmed by the feelings absorbed from the people or places it encounters. This can blur the lines of self-identity, creating a strong need to escape, to being alone, in dreams or fantasy, drugs or alcohol. But, as one of Pisces’ rulers is Neptune, peace may be found near water. Because Pisces feels things so intuitively there is an imaginative creative, enchantment to this sign. Being grounded to the reality of the material world cannot satisfy the emotional need for seeking a deeper spiritual connection. John Lennon’s “Imagine,” is the expression of Pisces. Pisces calls to all of us to open our hearts, minds, and souls, to dream of what we could create if only “the world could live as one.”