Happy Birthday, Pisces! February 19 to March 20

A very happy birthday to all of our Pisces friends! You’re in great company with Alan Rickman (RIP), Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner, Dr. Seuss, Elizabeth Taylor, Bruce Willis, Drew Barrymore, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Adam Levine (Yum), and Albert Einstein just to name a few. This sign is a water sign, ruled by Neptune. It’s the 12th and last sign of the zodiac that rules the venous system and the feet.

The origination of the sign Pisces was the constellation of the same name- but also, the ichthyocentaurs- servants of the goddess Aphrodite. Though these sea-centaurs might put you in mind of Capricorn, these brothers are actually said to have been half siblings to Chiron: another aspect in astrology. It is possibly because of this connection that we see a tender, intuitive, and often healing nature to those born under this sign.

In the tropical zodiac, the sun is in Pisces from around February 19th to March 20th each year. With the sidereal zodiac, however, it spans between March 13 and April 13. I am often asked about the Age of Aquarius, however, most Western astrologers, including myself, believe that we are still in the Age of Pisces. While we may believe that this age will go on for another 600 years or so, there’s something of a debate in this. Some believe that the Age of Aquarius began in 2012 with the December cosmic alignment. I mention this because you might have wondered if that “ichthyus” was the same as is associated with Christ: and it is. The Age of Pisces is often believed to have begun with the birth of Christ and there’s even some debate that if he did in fact exist: he was probably a Pisces.

As I mentioned, this is the very last sign of the zodiac and as such, well, Pisces carries just a piece of all the other signs that came before it. If you have ever noticed a keen ability to relate to just about anyone, no matter how different? This is why. In addition to being very adaptable, they’re also some of the most understanding and open-minded people around.

That said, this is still a sign that is a frequent victim of just not being understood very well. That’s probably one of the sadder aspects as that’s really all they want. This sort of tandem longing and suffering ties back to that Chiron connection- as well as a few other key elements. Something that people often don’t realize is just how deep that inherent sensitivity goes. They are remarkably intuitive to the point that many even carry almost extrasensory gifts, but this sensitivity acts as a double-edged sword. The suffering of others is often something that a Pisces native just cannot endure- many become activists, healers, pastors or missionaries for this reason. The problem comes in because they want to believe in others. So much so that acts that are without compassion are very upsetting to them and when you pair this with a bit of an escapist nature: therein lies the problem.

In most mature-souled Pisces, those trips across the divide are usually not detrimental. They can actually take a little time to go through things and sort them so that they are better able to handle the things they face. All too often, they’ll rebound from any disappointment even stronger and much more compassionate than they were to begin with!

One big misunderstanding comes in when dealing with the dreamier side of Pisces. So many people will see those behaviors- sort of back and forth, and think that they’re flakey. The truth is, they are anything but. What appears to others as being somewhat spaced out or lacking in ambition is actually an incredible depth. Pisces are people who delve deeply into their dreams, whether that be actual dreams they have while sleeping or goals. They tend to carry with them an otherworldly air- because almost all of them feels compelled by a higher purpose.