Retrogrades are an excellent opportunity to release and let go of what’s not serving us anymore. Here’s a tarot read for all signs. It’s timeless, and when you find it, it’s there for you.
Tag: Pisces
Spring Equinox & Re-Calibrating
Happy Spring Equinox!
Let’s face it, we’re still fighting the corona virus. It’s not spring-as-usual. It’s easy to escape into thoughts of Easter eggs, bunnies and chickadees. All these things are nice and help us to feel good, but right now, I feel the world is called to restore balance.
So many us are chronically over-stressed, busy in lieu of being present, and not balancing rest, repose and activity. Our environment is over-burdened by the pollution caused by our commutes. Our psyches are now overburdened by fear, anxiety and panic. We need to embrace this pause, this balance point, offered by the vernal equinox.
Looking ahead, this spring equinox we have a void-of-course moon on March 20th for most of the day, if you are in the US. Check your local times. Void-of-course moons are ideal times for reflection, study and meditation. Take this opportunity to re-calibrate your body, mind and spirit.
I did a tarot and Lenormand pull by sign pairs, regarding what needs to be brought back into harmony and balance. Every Aries has a deep part of them that’s Libran, acknowledged or not, and vice-versa, as so with all the sign pairs. When restoring balance, it’s helpful to think of the signs as a story with a theme that’s playing out between the “opposing” or complementary energies. Look at your sun, moon and ascendant to see what areas to re-balance.
ARIES/LIBRA
The Sun, reversed
The Queen of Wands, reversed
The Key
It’s time to stop and smell the flowers for Aries and Libras. Too much doing is scattering your energy and robbing you of joy. Don’t keep knocking on metaphorical doors, looking for approval from everyone. You have the keys. Use them. Your mission is to set yourself free of the approval trap this equinox.
Saturn moves out of Capricorn around the equinox. It’s now time to put the old criticisms of a boss or your own father to bed. This is especially true for Libra and Aries women. You don’t have to earn daddy’s love now or ever. Build a new life around an empowering POV, instead of answering for “mistakes” you made deep in the past.
TAURUS/SCORPIO
The Chariot, Reversed
The Anchor
Taurus and Scorpio, how you feel about a matter is not moving you forward. Now is not the time to choose freeze or hide. How can you move forward valiantly and purposefully? Old, unprocessed emotions are keeping you stuck. Get grounded to get in a safer emotional space.
Both Scorpio and Taurus need to keep expecting the unexpected, with Uranus in Taurus. Some surprises are good, some not what we’d hope for, but from now til the next equinox, you are asked to make the best of everything. You’re being a called to alchemize the inconvenient and adopt the attitude that all things are ultimately moving in your favor. What’s needed most is a deep surrender. Pull the anchor up and trust the tides.
GEMINI/SAGITTARIUS
The Ace of Swords
The Mask
The truth sets Gemini and Sagittarius free for the next six months. Commit to the truth, speak it, write it, teach it and preach it. You’re keenly aware of other’s masks, pretensions and follies. People who put on a nice persona around you may be eager to take from you. Be careful of flattery and ask yourself what’s truly behind it. Your gut will know what’s a sincere compliment versus one that’s intended to get something out of you. The strength of your will and character are being tested. Choose integrity over shortcuts.
Venus enters Gemini in early April. Venus, being the lover, the coquette and seductress of the zodiac, brings pleasant distractions to you this spring. That in mind, keep it real in dating and romance. Opt for deeper conversations and don’t just hear what you want to hear in the game of love. Deep listening in matters of the heart is called for. Does the beautiful lover you desire have beautiful thoughts? A beautiful spirit? Look at the whole package.
CANCER/CAPRICORN
The Four of Pentacles, Reversed
The Nine of Wands, Reversed
The Key
The Man
Capricorns and Cancers, are your defense mechanisms working? Your strong self-protective streak may be backfiring. Your equinox goal is to dismantle the deep tiredness and apathy you’ve been feeling. Give a little, especially to yourself. It’s safe to splurge on something that will revivify you at this time. Likewise, look at what you tend to hoard–things, bad memories, resentments. It’s time to purge all the past junk that’s not serving you. Stop chasing. The truth that you seek is seeking you too. It’s time for stillness. I am talking to you, Capricorn and Cancer men, especially. Sit down, chill, meditate. You have a deep, unacknowledged need for space. Give it to yourself.
Saturn moves out of Capricorn at the equinox, so the long-held burdens weighing down the Capricorns and Cancerians are lifting. Pluto, Mars and Jupiter are all in Capricorn at this time. This is a powerful, transformative, activating energy at work. It’s time to drop the past and build the future. Don’t build your new future with stones of anger, resentment and regret.
LEO/AQUARIUS
Strength
The Mice
For Leo and Aquarius, it’s time to identify the small things that are taking up too much time and energy. It’s time to gently and deeply investigate your work processes, habits and impulse buys. You are called to make the best use of your resources and rid yourself of the tiny thieves of your life. What’s robbing you of joy, calm and peace of mind especially? Leo will be deeply in their element with this inquiry, as the Strength card resonates with their sign. Aquarius, keep this purging gentle, like you would a fast or detox.
Saturn enters Aquarius near the equinox and for Aquarius, it’s time to take stock. Ask yourself, “am I making the best use of my time?” For Leo, Saturn in Aquarius rewards them for being and staying on mission and purpose, using their natural leadership skills to lead others towards a better life. Both signs need to examine how they want to grow as leaders and what they want their legacy to be.
VIRGO/PISCES
The Magician, Reversed
The 8 of Wands
The Coffin
Pisces and Virgo need to be more intentional with their actions at this time. Both signs are in the trap of feeling like they have to work themselves to death to accomplish something, anything. They may also be trying to prop up a situation that’s far outlived its usefulness to them. It’s time to say “enough” and acknowledge there’s no more you can or should do. Meditate on right effort, right mindedness and right actions. There’s no magic words you’ll be able to conjure to bring something back to life. Let it be.
Mercury is in Pisces til about mid April with Neptune in Pisces. Both Virgo and Pisces need to trust their intuition, but not indulge in too many fantasies, what-ifs and such. The situation or burden they are facing will undo or unravel itself. Let it settle. No more effort is needed.
Wishing you a beautiful, restorative spring journey, full of health, wealth and love.
Dreams and Surprises this Mercury Retrograde
So many people bewail a Mercury retrograde period–the lost emails, poorly chosen words, broken contracts and travel mishaps. Even people who know nothing more than their sun sign somehow know to blame a Mercury retrograde for all their whoopsy-daisies during this period. This particular Mercury retrograde starts in dreamy, watery Pisces and moves to forward-thinking, eccentric Aquarius. I’d like to break down this down some more.
Mercury retrograde in Pisces is dreams of the past, dreams lost and reclaimed. This is the energy of a person who gave up a dream to raise a family or made some other sacrifice who is now rediscovering their purpose or mission. Those who are lucid dreamers or experience night terrors may have more intense dreams about the past or may be extra wakeful at this time. Keeping a dream journal is advised for all who have strong Piscean, Mercury or 12th house aspects. Something in your dreams is opening the door to your future. Follow the clues.
Since Pisces rules the 12th house, home of institutions, asylums and jails, there could be headlines about the prison system, mental health facilities and the like. If you have interactions or work in any of these types of facilities, take extra care at this time, especially since Neptune is also in Pisces. Those who work with or in the water, maritime or boating fields should also exercise caution.
Many will be frustrated because things will not seem to move fast enough. Be still and know. Pisces corresponds to The Hanged Man in the tarot. It’s time to be still and get a fresh perspective and approach anyone or anything that claims to be your savior with caution. Cults might also garner headlines.
Mercury and Neptune together in Pisces connotes the “deceit that gets us to the real, transcendent truth”. Are you a willing party to your own delusions or suffering? This is a perfect time, up til the 4th of March, to bust any illusions or savior fantasies you might be entertaining.
Mercury in Pisces makes us prone to forgetting. It makes us soporific and at worst dissociated. Keep mindful and wakeful, especially in Piscean ruled environments.
Mercury moves into rebellious Aquarius on March 4th. Looking into the past helps us discover and build the future under this influence. Aquarian energy is humanistic, altruistic and liberating and many may rediscover a cause or charity that speaks to them.
At a more mundane level, we could have power outages. Aquarius rules electricity. Have your flashlights and batteries ready if you’re experiencing strong winds. The winds of change are here.
Mercury in Aquarius squares stubborn, lavish Taurus at this time. A surprise communication may come up late in the retrograde for those with strong fixed signs in their chart or prominent 11th or 2nd houses. The tension here will be between the intellectual and the tangible. For some, this means that an idea is not materializing (literally) the way they want. A model or prototype may delight or disappoint. A communications failure (Mercury in Aquarius retrograde) that costs a substantial amount of money (Uranus in Taurus) could also be possible.
Mercury in Aquarius is very much the communication of evangelization. It’s about larger social movements, as opposed to one-to-one communications. You may feel in a time warp of sorts with social movements from bygone eras getting a resurgence of sorts.
Above all, commit to honesty with Mercury in Aquarius. There’s no romancing the injustices of the past under this influence. This is very much the “air of air”, akin to the Knight of Swords of the tarot, who will cut through everything to move forward. Expect a quick change of pace, where things almost seem to move recklessly after March 4th. Check impulses and flights of fancy and intense emotions in favor of a more grounded approach. Don’t be too quick to make your Piscean illusion from earlier in the retrograde an Aquarian crusade.
Above all, you are in charge of your Mercury retrograde experience. Mercury retrograde is great time to take stock and revisit. It’s also a reminder to respond rather than react.
Affirmations:
Mercury retrograde in Pisces: I reclaim my dreams.
Mercury retrograde in Aquarius: My honesty and sincerity moves me forward.
Wishing you a positive, productive Mercury retrograde.
Venus in Pisces: Love is a Glamorous Prison with Sea Monsters
So many folks are excited about Venus in Pisces. Yes, it’s an ideal time for love. Venus is in exaltation with Pisces, but my Capricornian caution needs to air out some stuff about Venus in Pisces.
Full Disclosure: I have Venus in Pisces in my natal 10th.
I know this placement. I walk this placement.
First things first, look around you and think about a Pisces you’ve known. A bestie? A challenging teacher? A parent? An ex? How do you feel about them? Good, bad or indifferent? With Venus in Pisces, that Pisces that you may have never even thought about or would have considered now has a touch of Venusian glamour–and friends, glamour is fleeting. Cupid may have struck you with his little arrow, but that love wound may hurt and bleed once Venus moves out of Pisces. Use your common sense. If you have a bad past with a Pisces ex now may not be the time to revisit that relationship unless you’ve both done some major inner work.
Pisces is linked to Neptune and the Twelfth House. Neptune is the planet of illusions. Neptune is the planet of movie-making, of myths and of sacrifice. There’s definitely a “risking it all for love” vibe floating around. Now that’s lovely, but your mythic, epic lover-hero may have need to pass a credit and background check first. Attend to the practicals. We’re more likely to feel spiritually attuned to a mate, but “as above, so below”, so be sure to attend to the below, real world stuff! Don’t make excuses for bad behavior because the target of your infatuation is healing his or her core spiritual wound. Keep it real, even if it feels like a dream-come-true. That’s Neptune, causing that dreaminess.
The Twelfth House is also identified with the Latin word “carcer”, which means “prison”. With Venus in Pisces, love is a prison–albeit a glamorous prison. It’s very tempting with Venus in Pisces to create or consent to a little gilded cage for you and lovey. This can be little rules and protocols that eventually become big co-dependency. This can also feel like being taken hostage, especially if you’re in an unrequited love scenario, or waiting on someone to decide whether to commit or not. There’s also some atonement here, or a debt that has to be repaid. We go to prison because we owe a debt to society. Spiritual debts become due and sometimes the repayment terms are not to our liking. Unlike the Saturnian Tenth House, where we can clearly see the obstacles in our path, the Neptunian Twelfth House presents challenges that seem to surface seemingly from nowhere. The truth is, the challenges were always there, we just were deluded into NOT acknowledging them, often because we failed to go deep enough. When Venus is Pisces, it’s easy to mistake the charming Venusian surface for a deep, spiritual, transcendent connection if we are not present and aware. Feel the love but keep those feet on the ground and your eyes and ears open!
The Twelfth House also rules our subconscious–and with Venus in Pisces, love is like a deep ocean with some interesting sea monsters just floating around. One minute, all is fine and well and the next minute you’ve discovered you’re in love with the Kraken. The inner sea monster of bae becomes painfully visible, often without warning. With Venus in Pisces happening while the sun is in Aries, be aware that the lover that may be charming and accommodating now may expect it to be all about them by late April.
Venus in Pisces is a charmed time, in every sense. Just because the stars have aligned though, doesn’t mean that you should lose yourself in love. That’s exactly what the more toxic Venus in Pisces seems to want us to do–merge and enmesh completely with the beloved. Look at the glyph for Pisces, though. It’s two fish, close together, but not tethered, not caged, free to swim how they please, but choosing to swim together, and that’s what Venus in Pisces should be. Now go find that swimming buddy!
2019: The Year of the Martians
I’m not talking about little green men or Marvin the Martian. I’m talking about the character of 2019. The New Year came in on a Tuesday–day of Mars–and Mars is the driver’s seat this year, in Aries.
Find your Natal Mars sign here.
Mars rules Aries (as well as Scorpio) and is exalted in Capricorn. You may be feeling “on fire”–are you passionate or getting burned? Mars is about drive, confrontation, taking action and making war. Aries energy confronts challenges, individuates and shows strength.
“Mars in Aries”–the fight for you, the fight for your individuality, your authenticity, the fight for your passion, the drive to do it your own way. (Cue Frank Sinatra, “I did it my way”).
The New Year had Mars in Aries at nearly 0 degrees–so this a very much like lighting a match. The fire you may be feeling is fresh, new. There’s a quality of newness. It’s the fire of fire–acting for the sake of acting. It’s a year to make your will known and heard–and act on your will.
The year did start with a waning moon and waning moon years are about deep emotional let-go-s. (Cue Frozen). You’re not letting go with resignation though. It’s not giving up. That Tuesday, Martian, solar start says you’re letting go to get in alignment with your true will. There’s just stuff you don’t want to carry around anymore so you can move faster and stronger towards what you truly want. You want to travel lighter.
If you have natal Mars in Capricorn, Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius or Leo, you’re on fire right now and feeling this Mars energy. Remember this feeling as Mars transits through other signs this year and you may be feeling down or deterred. Hold on to this passion that you’ve started something new with this year.
If you have natal Mars in Libra or Taurus, it’s okay if you’re not feeling the passion right now. Honor any burnout you may feel. Honor that little voice that says “be careful”. Things may be moving too fast and too recklessly for you. Bide your time. Take the long view. You’re being choosy about whom and what to fight for and that’s okay.
If you have your natal Mars in Cancer, Mars influences you less than other planets. Be careful of passive aggressive tendencies, though. Don’t rain on someone else’s parade. You may not see what the fuss is about. When water confronts fire you get steam or hot water. You can heal or hurt. You get to choose.
If you have natal Mars in Aquarius or Gemini, don’t get swept up in someone’s passion project to the point you neglect yourself. Have a plan and work the plan, but don’t get relegated to being the sidekick. Likewise, where there’s smoke there’s fire. Your “early warning” radar is on high alert. Trust your hunches. Fire energy needs air to fuel it and smoke is the product of fire. You’ll be very in tune to the rhythms of this year.
If you have natal Mars in Virgo, you also have to guard against getting swept up in someone else’s passion project to the detriment of yourself. The energy here is like lava–hot, but when it cools, creates new ground and new stones with which to build. Managing your temper, especially if you’re in a habit of biting your tongue to keep the peace, could get challenging in a Mars years.
If you have natal Mars in Pisces, you may feel left out or out of sync. The pace at which things are transpiring may irk you. When you’re feeling pushed or not in the driver’s seat, imagine a peaceful waterfall, the water surrendering to gravity, with a bright rainbow dancing against the cascades of water. You are that rainbow–a sliver of beautiful light in constant movement.
Other insights:
Mars itself, the actual planet, becomes a big topic.
People are not afraid to fight in a Mars-driven year. Unfortunately, this means more potential for conflicts, especially in countries that are ruled by Aries, like England. The Brexit debacle is exacerbated by this Mars energy. We are also attracted to politicians with military experience, especially combat experience.
Athleticism and athletes draw more attention this year, especially in individual sports, like tennis, boxing and golf. Expect a big headline or two, especially in boxing, since the tendency of Mars is to want to draw blood. Lots of luck for fire sign boxers this year, especially when the matches are happening during Aries, Leo or Sagittarius season. Even the Rams might get some extra astrological love this year, since Aries is the ram.
Mars rules any kind of weaponry, from guns to pepper spray. The gun control debate will be in full swing, especially pertaining to the “individual’s” (Aries) right to bear arms (Mars)”.
The pertinent tarot cards are The Emperor (Aries) and The Tower (Mars). Emperors by their nature are autocrats and rule by force. The Tower indicates an act of God, or a sudden insight or revelation, shaking people from their lofty and exalted positions and the tower is on fire.
In this year, if someone seems entrenched or immovable or has consolidated their power to the point they’re too comfortable, it’s likely a sudden shock or unanticipated event will throw them. Expect the unexpected, especially when it seems like someone may be invulnerable. In the traditional image, it’s two people who fall off the tower, so it’s likely the Emperor and an enabler fall off. If you look at the original Rider-Waite image, in defiance of gravity, one of the persons falling off the tower still wears a crown–like an emperor.
Likewise, there’s a lot of ego energy to go around this year and a sudden insight or misfortune may knock the ego and force us to grow spiritually in ways we don’t think we need to. The more positive side of this is that we may get the flash of insight we’ve needed for years if we’re spiritually ready for it. Instead of being punished in the tower, we may get the lightning bolt of insight (Mars) to rule (Aries) over ourselves with confidence, compassion and dignity.
Happy New Year! The red planet is red hot this year. Use this energy to your advantage!
Dreamy Beauty Buys for Pisces!
Happy Birthday, Pisces! May all your many dreams come true.
It was such an honor to be quoted in beauty and lifestyle journalist Courtney Leiva’s article for TotalBeauty.com, “Celebrate Your Birth Month With 12 Pisces-Approved Beauty Buys“.
My Venus is in Pisces and I love the vibes of this dreamy, watery sign. Check out the article!
Kristin West 