Pisces, the twelfth and last sign of the zodiac, is ruled by the planet Neptune and symbolized by the Fish. To say that Pisces is represented as two fish is one thing, but to say that one is swimming upstream and the other down is quite another; therein lies a clue to the nature of its natives. There's a certain contrariety to this sign which makes Pisceans restless or sometimes at odds with themselves. As symbolized by the fish swimming in opposite directions, these natives often find a conflict between their conscious behavior and subconscious promptings or their mortal desires and spiritual yearnings. There's a part of their consciousness which tends to another realm of existence, a dimension less troubled by material things, ego gratification or grossness, and their conception of this idyllic place persists in the back of their minds at all times. Another aspect of the Pisces symbol is that one fish is above the other, representing the distinction between heaven and earth. These natives will tend to live on two planes of existence at once, the spiritual and the physical, and they can have an unusual capacity for integrating the two in their lives. The waters they inhabit are the mist-like emanations of the distant planet Neptune, and their ties with the earth are its manifestations of spirituality, psychism, intuitive powers and creativity.
Before you write off your Pisces friends as 'way out' or some kind of incurable dreamers, there's more you should know about the natives of this watery, mysterious sign. First of all, they can be giving, even self-sacrificing, to a fault. After all, who was it who answered your call in the middle of the night to rescue you from being stranded with a flat tire, or lent a sympathetic ear when you really needed it? Pisceans can never say no to a friend if his need is genuine, and even if sometimes it's not so genuine. Their hearts naturally go out to those less fortunate, the underprivileged, the underdog, the sick, even if for the moment, that happens to be you. They can be duped into helping others through false pretenses, but even then Pisces natives will not bear a grudge. They tend to see only the good in people and can be as forgiving as they are compassionate. They'll sometimes spend themselves to exhaustion in their outpouring of compassion to others, not only emotionally, but physically. At these times, they'll have to be alone, to submerge themselves once again in the subtle vibrations of Neptune's healing power, indulging in meditation, prayer or spiritual reverie in order to regain their strength.
You may have trouble spotting Pisceans in a room full of people. The more masculine ones might be mistaken for a weak Leo, the more feminine types for the passive form of Cancer. The appearance of these natives is greatly affected by other planetary positions in their natal charts, but there are some physical characteristics which are unmistakably Piscean. The general character of the facial features, for example, will be of a singular softness. Everything will seem to be rounded, especially the cheeks, which may be prominent in some way, reminding you of the gills of their zodiacal mascot. The eyes similarly, may appear to bulge with somewhat of a sleepy or dreamy expression, and in them you can get the distinct impression of wisdom, mystery or spiritual depth. For this reason, Pisces' eyes are perhaps the most beautiful in all the zodiac. The lips will tend to be full with a pursed or puckering quality, suggesting a certain sensuality. The jaw is generally weak or subdued, and in some natives, there will be a tendency to double chin. The neck is generally graceful, meeting at the shoulders with a certain smoothness of line. The hair is most often fine and wavy, usually ranging in color from blonde to dark brown, and the nose is generally small. You'll notice something peculiar about the hands and feet— they'll either be small and petite or large and cumbersome. Most Pisceans are short, although you'll find a few tall, lanky specimens wandering about the misty clouds. Many of them, especially the females, can possess an ethereal or other-worldly quality.
Pisces, being the last sign of the zodiac, is said to represent the culminating point of all the other signs and as such, implies a completeness of understanding on the part of its natives. In the Piscean personality you may find the quickness of Gemini, the peacefulness of Taurus, Leo's love of pleasure, the congeniality of Libra, the sensitivity of Cancer, the wanderlust of Sagittarius, Scorpio's mystic penetration, the helpfulness of Virgo, Aries' originality, the melancholy of Capricorn or the humanitarianism of Aquarius. Neptunians themselves may not exemplify any of these qualities in particular, but they embrace them all through their breadth of perspective. Basically, it is up to them which qualities of each sign, positive or negative, they will choose to cultivate in their own personalities. If they are judicious, acceding to opportunities for spiritual growth, they will take from each sign its own particular gem of wisdom, incorporating each one into their own crown of cosmic consciousness. Pisceans' expanse of vision is different from that of Aquarians, whose view of the universe is limited to what they can grasp intellectually. Pisceans, on the other hand, transcend this limitation by receiving impressions of the universe through their intuition or sixth sense, and can have an inkling of truths far beyond intellectual or emotional understanding.
From this perspective, it is easy to understand the Piscean's sometimes lackadaisical attitude. Try to impress on him the need for punctuality, organization and efficiency or the importance of money and career, and he'll seem vaguely interested; try to get him excited about the social unrest in Afghanistan, the instability of the world's economy or the political candidates for an upcoming election, and he'll give you a serene yet knowing smile. His actions may seem like laziness or apathy at first, but on closer scrutiny, you'll find behind them a greater wisdom. There is a part of the Piscean which recognizes, subconsciously at least, that some things are just not that important, that in the larger scheme of things, all that really matters is one's own inner development. In the deep recesses of his consciousness, he instinctively recognizes that the temporality of materialism will ultimately yield to the incorruptibility of spiritual values. Some March-born will carry this kind of thinking too far, becoming the irrepressible dreamers or the followers of blind religious devotionalism. On the other hand, some may deny this aspect of consciousness altogether, seeking to substitute spiritual experience with the euphoria of alcohol or drugs. A goodly share of skid row bums will be Pisceans, their wasted lives as testimonials to the negative side of Neptune. As with the fish, these natives have their choice of swimming upstream, against the currents of vanity, pettiness and contention to increasingly clear waters, or to let themselves be swept away to the murky waters below.
The challenge to Pisces natives is to somehow integrate their affinity with the more subtle planes to some constructive work on the physical level. They may achieve this by working in artistic or creative occupations where intuition and creativity are necessary attributes. Neptunians can make excellent musicians whether classical, jazz or rock, imbuing an intriguing, soulful quality to their performances. In painting or sculpture, their works manifest an other-worldly quality, capable of evoking profound emotion. Piscean writers can be very fluent and voluble; their words seem to flow from them in a torrent. In dance, they will exemplify a fluidity of motion not found in other signs. Neptune rules the feet, and these natives can be capable of some pretty fancy footwork whether on stage as ballerinas or on the dance floor of a local discotheque. No matter what their occupation or interest, they will never feel happy in their work unless it somehow entails a certain amount of creativity or involvement in the realms of the spiritual, the subconscious, the psychic or the unseen. Similarly, Pisceans will not be able to maintain for very long friendships or associations with those who are too materialistic or worldly. They may actually get physically ill if obliged to subscribe to their mundane philosophies for very long.
Neptunian energies can also find a positive outlet in the medical field, especially in those occupations where there is a direct personal involvement with the sick. Their outpouring of sympathy and a desire to help the weak or infirmed are natural attributes for doctors, nurses, medical receptionists, assistants, attendants, etc. In these occupations, Pisceans find outlet for their Neptunian drives of compassion and mercy while their professional statures curb the likelihood of their being taken advantage of. So penetrating is their sensitivity that a touch or words of understanding from these natives can sometimes be as curative as the medical treatment itself. In the same way, social work, caring for the handicapped, counseling for child abuse, alcoholism, drug abuse, for the dying or bereaved, etc. are occupations uniquely suited to Pisceans' sense of mercy and their sensitivity to spiritual and emotional needs. If they're typical March-born, they are not discriminatory to whom they extend their consoling words or actions whether to saint, sinner, murderer, thief, liar, rich or poor, deserving or undeserving. They instinctively recognize the integrity of each person's spirit and with a forgiving heart can overlook the apparent causes of their particular situation of problem. You'll never get judgmental remarks or condescending glances from these natives. Their ultra-sensitivity allows them to see the spiritual essence within each individual with a certain reverence. Their insight into the spiritual realms can sometimes lead them to commitments in the religious life as priests, reverends, monks or nuns.
The super-subtlety of Pisces can often lead the natives to confuse the material and spiritual planes, taking the shadow for substance or reality for illusion. Indeed, because their outlook is not entirely from a physical perspective, Neptunians can in some cases, regard everything as dream or illusion. Although Shakespeare was a Taurus, he left words with profound insight into this typically Piscean frame of thought:
All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. To the March-born, life can be a masquerade with one big illusion after another. They understand the superficiality of life with its many facades and pretenses, and how society tends to identify with roles rather than with the persons within them. Pisces natives may purposely put on weird masquerades almost in sarcasm of this shallow perspective. The rock star who paints his face, wears strange clothes and indulges in outrageous behavior is definitely of the Piscean persuasion. If a woman wears too much makeup or dyes her hair an odd color, you can bet she's a Pisces. Human fish will often personify the glitter of illusion by wearing dazzling apparel and wild colors. You'll find the colorful neons and the shimmering tinfoils, but you'll also find the conservative brown oscars and the blushing angel fish, other Neptunian disguises. Sometimes they'll change masks so fast, you'll wonder what's real and what's illusion yourself, and they'll delight in keeping you guessing, forever hiding their vulnerable, sensitive souls behind the many masquerades of earthly life.