Pisces Sun
This sign combines the advantages of eleven constellations in one body. It also; however, gathers eleven shortcomings. Being the last of the water signs, the function of feeling and the potential to interpret it has been extremely heightened. The connection to the emotional body is also what links Pisces to compassion. Everyone has the ability to experience another's experience— our bodies are designed to do so, whether we are conscious of it or not. Even dogs, and chimpanzees, yawn out of subconscious empathy like humans do. It is this same capacity when developed consciously that becomes compassion— feeling another's suffering and the desire to alleviate it. Another piece of this archetype is the aspect of culmination; this is the last sign in the entire cycle. Often where there are Pisces placements, there is unfinished business, or the business of finishing happening. Whatever was not experienced in the other areas of life due to repression needs to be approached and experienced in order for the cycle to close and move into Aries once again.
This sort of transcendent impulse is intrinsic to human consciousness. It is this impulse that makes us aware of the infinite reality that exists beyond tangible space and time, and the independent nature of the soul; that consciousness and identity are not ultimately dependent on, or restricted to, the human form. For some of us, this impulse makes us aware that there is something greater than our soul: religion and spirituality. Whether it is the spiritualization of consciousness that becomes facilitated, or simply a confrontation of one's own fantasies and illusions, this realization opens the possibility of dissolving the emotional barriers which prevent a direct relationship with personal understanding. It is a movement towards actualizing an alignment between inner reality, outer reality, and the reality of one's spirituality.
Pisceans don't find their direction easily. They are not inherently self-propelled, and can seem to be made of butter. Ask them to move an inch left because they're blocking your view. Without a word, Pisces shifts to the left. Suggest a new way of eating snails with a shovel. Pisces is right up there in the front of the queue, raring to please. But dare to challenge their deepest beliefs, disagree with their sense of taste or the spiritual tenets by which they live, and the fish becomes a shark.
The two fish swimming in opposite directions suggest the main tension in the Piscean character: a natural contrary. Yet also a natural harmony. These people are friendly and charitable, but this willingness has a drawback in that they too often fail to explore their own potential. They use so much energy for their loved ones that they have little left for their own affairs. Indeed, the Fish have no outer armor like Cancer or Scorpio. The Fish, whose source of existence is not separate from its environment- water- gain the symbolism of this unity and transcendence. Unfortunately, the simple fact is that no one is so transcended that they may help others to no end other than their own downfall.
Naturally sensitive, and thoughtful but not always realistic, our Pisces neighbors have the tendency to avoid reality. Others must be careful not to step on Pisces by accident— their feelings often get injured without anyone else noticing a thing. Pisces may not yell or throw things when upset, but they feel it all the same. Artists with strong Piscean inclinations in their birth pictures pass down empathy to the world through their art. With such abundant imagination, it is easy for Pisces to have unrealistic daydreams, while neglecting present life. They may indulge in illusion to extremity due to their abuse of imagination. When the gap between the ideal and the tangible leads to instability, they must remember not to be weakened by meticulous distractions and to seek improvement.
And in the world of love, the Fish is like a bee in a flower; they will stay with one flower, but when the sweetness of love passes, they will fly to another to stay intoxicated. Water signs are deeply affectionate, but after Pisces' enthusiasm has faded, those once charming flowers wither instantly to them. Pisceans should also take care when it comes to crushes. Sometimes they fall in love unconsciously because of a word or a meeting of eyes, and by the time they find they are uncomfortable with other potential opportunities for romance, they have already fallen into love. When Pisces is with someone who cannot meet their relationship needs, they may think something such as, "They will love me. I will love them fully and they will realize their own beauty and open their heart." However, people do not change out of wishful thinking, and Pisces will eventually have to deal with that reality. To truly understand this, like opening one's eyes for the first time, the truth becomes revealed to Pisces. This sign, through experience with interpersonal relationships, begins to see others' total natures, which are far beyond what they imagined. As a result, Pisces experiences true compassion and at the same time, neutrality.
As with any sign, this one has its shadows. Their minds flood with images and impressions. An overwhelming tide of emotion, a tide of fear and vain dreams, rushes through awareness, overwhelming the personality. And Pisces just sits there as the dungeons of the mind erupt and shatter. They may flood themselves with books, or television, or music. They may sleep ten hours a day. None of those activities are wrong. That is not the point. It is only that they can be used to stimulate subjectivity to such an extent that objective reality is temporarily blotted out. There is no transformation of one's perceptions. All that happens is that their issues are forced into the background, replaced by shallow and meaningless surrogates. Pisces' shadow is escapism. The mind, in all its imagination and creativity, hides from the world, biding its time, turning away from every obstacle, and waiting for fate to deal it that last bad hand.
Aries represents the rebirth of the zodiac, just as Pisces, and carries over this sign's innocence. However, Pisces' universal aspects become stripped away to leave just a core innocence of the self. Aries is the sign that is the most aware of itself, and this awareness is very concentrated. The increased awareness of itself means it is largely unaware of much else other than itself.
Gemini forms a square aspect with Pisces. An Air-Water square produces conflict between an idea of how things should be, and what one is compelled towards. In this case, the conflict lies between intelligent reason and emotional intuition.
Virgo, opposite to Pisces, correlates with the shared potential for sadomasochistic behavior. In this polarity, Pisces represents idealism, the nature of personal illusions, and the need to escape from reality.
Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, like Pisces. These signs share the concept of ultimate truth, and the need to align with something which provides this meaning. There is an indication of the greater frame here. Sagittarius says, "We can do it!" Pisces says, "We can do it, but if we can't, that's okay." Sag says, "I'm setting off for a journey to the unknown!" but Pisces says, "I find myself to be in the unknown."