Pisces

This is the “old soul” of the zodiac: As the final sign Pisces is said to have experienced the energy of every other sign before it. Soulfully deep, Pisces energy never just skims the surface. In fact, this sign rules the subconscious and governs our dreams, imaginations and unhealed wounds. The essence of Pisces energy is romantic, helpful, wise, comforting and artistic. Negative Pisces energy can be gullible, self-pitying, out of touch with reality, addictive, self-destructive, clingy and masochistic. During a Pisces planetary transit, we need to set boundaries and avoid playing the martyr, codependence, and rescuing troubled souls.

Pisces is one of the three zodiac signs ruled by the water element. The other two water Signs are Cancer and Scorpio. Since Pisces is the third and final water sign, it streams Cancer’s sentimental waves and Scorpio’s forceful jets into the ultimate emotion ocean. With Pisces energy activated, expect to dive deep. Pisces energy awakens our compassion, opening our hearts to people who are struggling. Under a Pisces planetary cycle, we can expect to wear our hearts on our sleeves and feel intuitively connected to those around us, whether or not we’re consciously aware of that energy. We may also express ourselves emotionally through creative channels: music, film, the visual arts, and dance are all ruled under the Fish’s domain.

The planetary ruler of Pisces is Neptune. The Ancient Romans praised and glorified Neptune as the almighty God of the Sea. When Jupiter and Pluto (or Zeus and Hades, as they’re referred to in Greek mythology) met with Neptune, they divided the three main realms of the Universe—earth, sea, and underworld—amongst themselves. Neptune was feared for his furious temper, which could incite earthquakes on land and intense storms for those away at sea.

The zodiac signs are grouped into three “qualities” or “triplicities”: cardinal, mutable and fixed signs. Pisces is one of the four mutable signs. These signs end every season—and have learned the hard lessons taught by spring, summer, fall and winter. The mutable signs—Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces—know that all good things come to an end, and their role is to prepare everyone for the changing of seasons. Mutable signs are the adapters of the zodiac, a little bit older and wiser. More flexible and comfortable with change than other signs, they can “chameleon” themselves to fit into a variety of situations. Mutables are also the editors of the zodiac—the ones who complete the package with a winning touch. A plan can be sparked by a cardinal sign, built by a fixed sign, then perfected with the critical eye of a mutable sign.

Pisces people are sensitive and intuitive, and can become easily overloaded by crowds or overstimulating environments. It’s often hard to pin these people down, because they’re so keen on swimming away to a place where they can experience some downtime and meditative R + R. Pisces can gain a reputation as flaky because of the way they swim in and out of your life. When they do surface, Pisces make charming and magical friends, especially because they view life through rose-colored glasses. These fantasy-fueled folks need to keep at least one fin on solid ground. At their best, Pisces are attentive and inspiring. You can find Pisces artfully composing a photo, listening to music or guided meditations in their Zen dens, people-watching in the shadows of an underground club, or holding hands under the table at a romantic restaurant with a sunset view.

Famous Pisces: Albert Einstein, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Adam Levine, George Washington, Carrie Underwood, Kesha, Steve Jobs, Ansel Elgort, Kurt Cobain, Eva Longoria, Drew Barrymore, Eva Mendes, George Washington, James Madison, Andrew Jackson, Grover Cleveland, Victor Hugo, W.E.B. DuBois, Dr. Seuss, Jack Kerouac, Henrik Ibsen, Hubert de Givenchy