"I know it really is a pity
the way you treat me now

I know you can’t forgive me
But forgive me anyhow."  
-Leonard Cohen from the song Anyhow

"…then magnificently we will float into the mystic" 
-Van Morrison from the song Into the Mystic

This month we bathe in the waters of cleansing and bliss as we enter the sea of mysticism with Pisces the fish as our guide. Pisces is the final sign of the zodiac.  As such it presides over the end of any cycle, which always involves reconnecting with the Source. In some ways Pisces represents the culmination of all the lessons of the zodiac. Pisces reminds us that all life is sacred and fleeting. Pisces reminds us to live like wise Zen masters, enjoying the world of form, yet not getting too attached to any one form. The deepest and perhaps only real security to be had is instead to connect with and rely upon the Source.

Pisces is a water sign. It is the most watery of all the water signs. Both Cancer and Scorpio are represented by creatures that can live on the land or in the air, but Pisces is a creature that cannot survive outside of the water. It is a creature which merges entirely with its element and lives in the blissful realm of flow and current.

Symbolically water represents the realm of feeling as well as the astral plain. This month therefore we are called upon to swim in the waters of our personal and collective feelings. It is here we encounter one of the greatest obstacles to our blissful enlightenment. It is our unresolved feelings of pain, resentment and withheld forgiveness that hold us back from the deep bliss that is our birth right. Pisces, the ultimate sign of letting go, croons to us to let it go, let it go, let it go. It is here in this oceanic sign that all the sharp edges of our angers and hurts and egos are worn down to soft sea glass and drawn back out to sea.

Pisces is the opposite sign of Virgo, a mental and analytical sign ruled by Mercury. Virgo is known for compartmentalizing and analyzing. It is a very left-brained sign obsessed with analysis and details. Pisces is exactly the opposite. It perceives holistically, is right-brained and it sees the big picture better than any sign of the zodiac. The Virgo brain can help us analyze what was done to us, what is wrong with us, and what our diagnosis is.

In the Virgo and Gemini brain we can get lost in the stories we tell ourselves, especially the stories of how we and others did wrong. In terms of our healing it is often true that we wronged others and others wronged us and sometimes quite seriously, but not forgiving is a trap. It is the ultimate bog of quicksand in which many a traveler gets stuck. Luckily, Pisces represents the transcendental cure for this condition. Pisces is the sign of empathy and oneness, ever reminding us that we are “One” with everything and everyone. From this perspective we are even one with those who have harmed us. Pisces the sign of oneness and empathy reminds us all pain is shared pain; all sorrow is shared sorrow.

I do not mean to minimize the anguish we can feel in the course of our lives; the agony of unmet need, the pain of neglect or abuse or abandonment that leave lives twisted and unfulfilled; the heart ache of betrayals and offenses  great and small. It is necessary to grieve our losses as we go, to shed the tears that are the deep cleansing and healing of our souls.  These feelings must be felt. Then and only then can we embark upon the necessary task of forgiveness.

In my own healing journey I have encountered many a deep resentment for things that others did to me or things they didn’t do that I wished they had. The deepest resentments, however, I have discovered have been reserved for myself. I have found it hardest, and at times impossible, to forgive myself for sins both real and imagined. I have come to believe that most if not all withheld forgiveness stems from not forgiving the self. If I just hadn’t done this… If only I had done that… If I hadn’t said this…. If only I had said that or tried that or taken a risk and so on and so on. In the face of some losses it feels impossible to forgive, but Pisces calls upon us to forgive anyway.

Luckily we are not alone in this process. Left to our own devices some acts of forgiveness would be impossible. Pisces represents a vast web of unconditionally loving, blissful, transcendental consciousness that we may call upon to help us forgive, to make us willing to utterly let go of the past; to fill us with spiritual grace so we may let go of our old pain and achieve the impossible: forgiveness. Once we forgive we cast off the weighty chains that keep us from living a lighter, freer existence. Once unencumbered, we can truly float into the mystic waters of unity and bliss.

In the end I have come to believe that what we most long for is forgiveness, an end to hostilities within and without. Pisces rules those places where all differences are dissolved usually because common suffering or approaching death renders such differences utterly irrelevant. 

Pisces rules hospitals, hospice, Zen temples, retreats, meditation, the suspension of thinking,  pure consciousness, the ocean, water, surfing, film, photography, empathy, transcendence, and forgiveness.

This month, to utilize Pisces energy, forgive yourself. Really let your wriggling soul off the hook for all sins real or imagined and throw her back into the sea of peace and bliss where she can swim with other free souls. Forgive your parents. Forgive your enemies. Forgive your rivals. Be really kind to yourself; be really kind to others. Let go of the past. Let go of old stuff. Mercury is still retrograde till the 17th so get quiet. Go on a spiritual retreat. Help the sick. Help the dying. Help the poor. Help animals. Adopt a pet. Make a vision map. Go to the sea. Take salt baths. Have a good cry. Adopt a loving kindness practice.

Feel your connection to everything: what you eat, what you wear, your friends, all life forms, the stars and planets. Send blessings out to the four directions, but most of all forgive yourself. Whatever happened, it really was the best you could do at the time. Have a little compassion for yourself. Once you do you may find you have a little more for others.  At its best Pisces represents a state of spiritual grace and ecstasy that mystics tell us surpasses any other state of bliss one can achieve. Pisces also represents the means by which we arrive at such a state.

The Sun went into Pisces on February 18th and will remain there till March 20th which marks the vernal equinox, the first day of spring when the Sun enters Aries and the day force balances with the night force for a day before slowly overtaking it.

March begins with a major planetary line up in watery Pisces including the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune. With Saturn also in the watery sign Scorpio, March looks to be a very wet and emotional month.

Mercury, the planet of thought, is in spiritual, transcendental Pisces moving retrograde as the month begins making this a great month to reflect, retreat, rewrite and reconnect. Watch your words so you can avoid regret at hasty speech. Mercury goes direct on March 17th making this St. Patrick’s Day the day to put plans into forward-moving action. Mercury remains in Pisces all month and half of April.

Venus begins the month in Pisces, the sign it is exalted in, asking us all to explore higher love. Send blessings to people who annoy you. Send blessings to any enemies and family members that you have unresolved issues with. Send blessings to the world each day and the departed souls in the spirit world. Enjoy the Piscine arts: music, poetry, dance and film. Venus remains in watery, sensitive Pisces till March 21st when it enters action-oriented Aries and love-is-a-battlefield mode, where it remains for the rest of the month.

Mars begins the month in Pisces giving us extra energy to deploy toward water sports like surfing and activities like really working on our vision and taking action toward actualizing it. The spiritual warrior is front and center this month helping us with radical forgiveness and getting disciplined in our spiritual practice.

Neptune is also in Pisces bringing vast, transcendental , visionary consciousness to bear on all of us this month. We dream together, feel together, weep together and transcend together this very watery month. We need to pay special attention to the safety and cleanliness of our water and bodies of water this month.

Jupiter is in Gemini this month continuing to expand our minds and our discourse. Explore new ideas and philosophies that bring new wisdom to your approach to living.

Saturn remains in Scorpio going retrograde till the spring, forcing us to confront and reflect on issues of intimacy, shared wealth and resources and death. This aspect also encourages us to explore the realm of energy, the invisible and the spirit world.

Uranus remains in Aries encouraging evolutionary uprisings worldwide and encouraging personal independence and individuation.

Pluto the transformer remains in Pluto, revealing the fatal flaws in our government, banking system and infrastructures that are slated for transformation this decade.

Peace and bliss be with you now and always.

ARIES: There is a massive line up of planetary energy in your spiritual sector this month with the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune all giving you a massive wave of spiritual and transcendent energy, making this a great month for deep healing and great spiritual progress. I know you are extremely self -reliant Aries, but this month try relying on the source. There is a massive spiritual support team here to help you release the past that no longer serves you, and actualize your authentic dreams and visions. This month ask for spiritual help like never before. Nothing is too big or small to bring to the network of angels and spirits gathered around you at this time. Spend the first part of March getting silent and making contact with your angels, guides and the source. Spend the second half of the month beginning around the 12th when Mars, your ruling planet moves into Aries, to begin to move into right action. Mercury goes direct on the 17th so avoid signing contracts till then.

TAURUS: This is an extraordinary month for spiritual networking for you Taurus. There is a massive line up in your house of social networking. Paradoxically, by getting quiet and going on retreats and to other spiritual events, you could link up with teammates who truly support your vision. This is also a great month to deeply visualize the team you would love to be working with. If there are people you’ve lost touch with who you would love to reconnect with, this is the month to do it. You are being asked to spread your message about money, values, wealth and the material world. This month while Mercury is retrograde reflect upon this message and the best way to communicate it. The world needs a new and transcendental approach to the material world. After the 17th take action to convey your message.

GEMINI: Your career gets a major visionary boost this month, Gemini, with half the zodiac transiting your career sector. Mercury retrograde in visionary Pisces makes this an excellent month to re-brand your business. Do a meditative vision quest and ask for tons of spiritual guidance regarding your career which this month more than ever seeks to align you with your holy work. This month approach your work sacramentally. Ask your angels, ancestors and spirit guides to help you develop your business and brand. Remember that the universe is your true employer. Connect to this and the major expansion you are undergoing will continue along sublime and exquisite lines.

CANCER: This month there is a major spiritual lineup in your house of philosophy and higher learning. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune are all asking you to adopt a spiritual philosophy by which to live your life. This is an excellent month to take a class in some form of spirituality. Study, read, learn pray and meditate. Read books by Edgar Cacye and or the Dalai Lama. Explore theories on reincarnation. The important thing is to find a higher path that you feel aligned with and immerse yourself in a connection to the Source that will truly sustain you. With Jupiter, the planet of faith and angels, in your spiritual sector you are truly traveling with angels these days. On many levels you are being asked to dare to have the faith that you are under loving guidance at all times, and act accordingly.

LEO: This month there is spiritual help for you at the very deepest darkest level of your soul. The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune are all in your sector of the deep unconscious, intimacy and shared resources, bringing you help in all these areas. This is a great month to do some deep healing work on unresolved issues concerning self-worth, addiction and your ability to share your life with others. This month try forgiving yourself and your family for any unresolved injuries. This month try really connecting with the Source any time you feel scared, angry or alone. At this time your chart indicates that you are truly surrounded by a vast spiritual support team. Your job is to keep reaching out to this ethereal team.  Experiment every day.  Ask for help with anything and everything and see what follows.

VIRGO: This month there is a massive line up in your house of partnerships asking you to truly align with spiritual partners. With Mercury retrograde till the 17th, you may be reconnecting with old spiritual contacts. The beginning of March is a wonderful time to reflect on what kind of partners you want to work with, and connect with intimately. This is the month to use Neptune’s imaginative powers and dream them up.  If you are currently in a relationship, this is a great time to deepen your connections by navigating all relationships using spiritual principals. This means becoming as conscious as possible to avoid reactivity and projection. This is also a great time to forgive old partners where things didn’t work out so well.  With Jupiter at your midheaven there is a major career opportunity coming your way. Prepare yourself by forgiving the past and imagining a whole new world.

LIBRA: This month your daily work becomes your most sacred spiritual practice. You are asked to adopt the view of making every daily task your sacrament. This is also a great month to juice, cleanse and organize your way into a heavenly state. Make a vision map regarding your health and what you want your work practice to look like, then let the manifesting begin. This month doing the dishes consciously or doing a yoga pose consciously or eating some veggies consciously can all bring you to a truly transcendental state. You are going through a major philosophical expansion so make sure you say yes to every opportunity to expose yourself to new ideas philosophies and higher learning. Then ask yourself whether you might also wish to share your wisdom in some published form.

SCORPIO: This month it’s time to revisit old buried creative dreams and visions. If there is a work of art or body of writing or some other creative dream long abandoned, now is the time to resurrect it and rewrite or revise it. There is a major line up of heavenly inspiration in your house of creativity, making creative play your sacrament this month. Have the courage to get re-inspired and set your joyful, transcendental, creativity be free. This month heavenly muses are standing by to help you with your art. Your job is to show up and create, though this month your creativity is a lot more like channeling. With Jupiter in your sector of the deep, dark unconscious you are feeling joyful and free at deep dark levels you may have thought would never change. Keep the faith. The dark journey has lead you to deep down veins of silver and gold.

SAGITTARIUS: These days you are blessed in the realm of home, family and ancestry and the key to all of it has been your willingness to forgive. This month there is even more transcendental forgiveness than usual as the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars and Neptune are all in Pisces, the most compassionate sign of the zodiac in your home sector. You may re-connect with family members you haven’t seen in a while or you may use the Mercury retrograde to pull in to your own sacred temple of a home and reflect upon your roots and any unresolved family issues. This month angelic help is standing by to help you transcend and forgive like never before.

CAPRICORN: This month you are going through a major mental shift as Mercury retrograde along with Venus, Mars, the Sun and Neptune are all transiting your mental house of thought and communication. This month you may find your mind aligned with the highest mind and with a transcendental level of inspired thought and consciousness. This is a month to ramp up meditation and attempt automatic writing. You can truly channel the higher mind of compassion and inspiration. If there are writing projects you left unfinished, now is the time to revisit them. You are the voice of compassion these days so this month find the medium by which you can inspire the largest audience.

AQUARIUS: This month your finances and values are being inspired in a whole new direction. It looks like some big visionary project, that could be profitable, is being offered. With Mercury retrograde, make sure your fiscal ducks are all in a row before signing on. This is a month to really contemplate how you make and spend your resources. What do you want your financial life to look like? This is a great month to visualize abundance and to dream up a stream of revenue that comes from a project that would truly delight and inspire you. Jupiter, in your offspring and creativity sector, continues to make this an excellent time for you to have fun and joyfully explore your creativity. This month spend time by the water if you can and, when there, let go of any old grievances against self or others that still haunt you. This month give them to the sea and let the tide carry them away.

PISCES: Happy Birthday Pisces!!!
This year half the planets have come to your sign to celebrate your groovy, sensitive, artistic, transcendental self. This month the Sun, Venus, Mercury retrograde, Mars and mighty Neptune, ruler of the sea, are all in your sign to give you a major, inspirational celebration. With Mercury retrograde, your year begins with a look backward and inward in order to deeply reflect upon who you are and where you have been. Venus and Mars together in your sign look good for your love life this year. Finding a mate who swims the same currents and is on the same sensitive wave length looks good. The big question, however, is posed by Neptune the planet of dreams and visions. This planet reminds you that it’s time to start dreaming up your next big vision. What creative project would most excite and delight you these days? This month get quiet and centered and align with your next big dream. After the 17th, when Mercury goes direct, take action to manifest your desires.

Namaste,

Demitra