Mary Jo Wevers

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Neptune, Modern Planetary Ruler of Pisces

The modern ruler of Pisces is the planet Neptune. This large planet is surrounded by a thick atmosphere of gases, water and ice. Neptune’s atmosphere is known for its active weather patterns and storms, driven by the strongest winds of any planet in the solar system. Neptune is named for the Roman god of the sea. Its glyph is the sea god’s trident.

Neptune spends approximately 14 years in each sign of the zodiac, taking about 168 years to orbit the Sun. Considered the second transpersonal planet, it’s transit through a sign affects an entire generation, and represents their idealistic wish to rise up to a higher plane of existence.

Neptune was discovered in 1846 when it was in the final degrees of the sign of Aquarius. Soon afterward it entered its own sign of Pisces and the United States entered into Civil War, in large part due to collective efforts to end slavery. We will undergo our country’s Neptune return soon, and civil rights issues, which stem from our country’s economic foundation in slavery, are being revisited. This is a time to heal the wounds from our past.

In the astrological chart, Neptune symbolizes the need to experience suffering in order to atone for our sins and become more compassionate and empathetic towards others. This is referred to as the “path to redemption.” This path to redemption often creates unhealthy perpetrator/victim/savior dynamics in our relationships, resulting in compulsions, co-dependencies and significant psychological problems for us.

Ultimately Neptune directs us to have compassion for ourselves without martyrdom. It asks us to form universal emotional connections with others through hope, faith, forgiveness and unconditional love. Through sacrifice of our ego needs we redeem ourselves, transcend our material existence, and are reborn again into the human condition transfigured.

Neptune in Pisces

Neptune was in the sign of Pisces during 1848-1863. Since then it has traveled full circle around the Sun and is once again in the sign of Pisces, where it will stay until 2025.

What can we expect during this current 14 year transit of Neptune in Pisces? What collective experiences will we have that will deepen our empathy, compassion and universal love? Must we re-experience the divisiveness  in our country that lead to our Civil War, or can we move forward from a higher spiritual awareness? As a country, can we transcend racism, sexism, “other-ism” and come to appreciate our connections with everyone, regardless of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation?

On the personal level, how do you need to retreat from the material world to revitalize and replenish your connection to your soul? What spiritual practices will support your own spiritual development? Use this 14 year period to create a deeper sense of your own inner divinity and connection to all of humanity.

“Compassion is more important than intellect in calling forth the love that the work of peace needs, and intuition can often be a far more powerful searchlight than cold reason.”

– Betty Williams

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Pisces, Final Sign of the Zodiac

Pisces rules the ocean, the source of all life on this water planet. It teaches us that like so many drops of water in the ocean, we are all individuals and at the same time we are all one. Pisces challenges us to find a balance between defining the boundaries of our identity and physical experience, and dissolving our self-hood and merging into oneness. Pisces asks us to be aware of our universal connections as we live our individual lives.

A changeable and adapting mutable sign of negative polarity, receptive Pisces experiences the world through an emotional and idealistic filter. It receives images, impressions and visions that are subtle, undefined, or nebulous. Knowledge and insights seep into its mind through osmosis. Pisces has an active and creative imagination and is adept in visualization. Images, metaphors, archetypes and symbols hold deeper, richer, more spiritual meaning for Pisces than literal descriptions of objects and events. Artistic and romantic, Pisces expresses itself through poetry, painting and music.

Pisces’ sensitive and intuitive nature is strongly affected by the emotions and energies of others. Because it merges effortlessly with other people, it has difficulty discerning its own feelings from the emotions of others. Empathetic Pisces has much sympathy and forgiveness for humanity with all its imperfections. Its generous nature is devoted to easing grief and suffering in the world.

Impressionable and susceptible to outside influences, Pisces can feel overwhelmed and inadequate dealing with the physical world and the day-to-day realities of life. It can be impractical, careless, or delusional.Pisces can feel fearful and retreat into itself or seek escape through addictive substances and behaviors. In relationships Pisces can be timid and submissive, naive and co-dependent.

Being humble, Pisces feels guilt, shame and consequently a need to atone for past sins. It deludes itself by believing that in order to become spiritual it must place itself “above” a material world it believes is imperfect and tainted. However Pisces must learn to trust and have faith while keeping its feet firmly planted in the physical world.

Pisces rules mystical experiences where the boundaries that define us and our material reality become foggy or hazy. Spiritual practices fall in this realm, including meditation, prayer, and vision quests. In these practices we merge into oneness and connect with Source. Pisces also rules sleep and our dream world, our subconscious and the collective unconscious, karma and spiritual debts. Dream analysis, past life regression, hypnotherapy, and other methods of accessing the other-than-conscious mind fall under its jurisdiction.

This final sign of the zodiac governs the final stage of life, when that which is corporal or material falls away, dies, and dissolves. The physical realm is transcended and we return as spirit to Source. Pisces teaches us to let go and have faith. The key phrase for Pisces is “I Believe.”

The symbol for Pisces is two fish swimming in opposite directions, symbolizing the struggle to reconcile the polarity of the material and spiritual worlds. Pisces asks us to balance and integrate our spiritual self with our physical existence. We can swim in cosmic consciousness as we live in a corporeal body and navigate life on earth.

Colors for Pisces are lavender and aquamarine. Platinum is its metal. The gem for Pisces is amethyst. Water lilies and lavender are its flowers. Parts of the body ruled by Pisces are the feet and toes, lymph and white blood cells. Fish, whales and dolphins are Pisces animals. Archetypes for Pisces include artists, religious pilgrims and spiritual seekers, slaves, beggars and the poor, drug addicts and alcoholics, social and welfare workers. Sanctuaries, hospitals, charities, convents and monasteries, prisons and penal colonies are Pisces places.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”   – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin