Mercury, planet of communication and information is currently in oceanic Pisces, the sign which delves into the mind’s uncharted realms to stir the imagination and think in poetic visuals and phantasmagorical dreams.

Mercury goes into retrograde motion 17th February at 12 Pisces, heading backwards for three weeks to join Heart-Star, Sun, February 26^th at 6Pisces. Mercury goes forward March 10^th at 28 Aquarius, and finally comes out of the separating shadow period a month later, 10th April. Only those with planets constellating Aquarius-Pisces degrees 28-12 need note the separating shadow period, which is not half as tough as the applying shadow as it came on winged heels with a Full Moon and a Jupiter-Neptune Sextile; when aspects separate at least they carry resolution and some sense of insight and completion. 

The Celestial Courier carries a healing wand, and in the sign of Two Fish joins heaven to earth with a magical cord. Magnetic portals could even flow between powerful and deep spiritual connection. Pisces is also the sign of retreat and haven, where magic meets reality, escaping turbulent thoughts and times with imagination and faith.

Be aware, however, there are rapids in downstream waters – especially 24-24-25-26^th Feb when Mars conjuncts South Node.

Forgiveness, compassion, sacrifice and renunciation are vaunted Piscean gifts for when denial, glamour and illusion ripen ego’s desire. Remember to take time out and rejuventate to maintain clarity and calm. Deep emotions and psychic sensitivity can tune into ancestral soul DNA, as well as mind manipulating unseen collective undercurrents can engulf and even overwhelm the sensitive Pisces psyche, especially in situations in which we have no personal control.

So, go easy. What is real, unreal or just plain surreal? It’s often difficult to tell. A fantastic aspect between Jupiter and Neptune (both rulers of Pisces, one trad the other modern) form a harmonious and rather holy alliance throughout 2020. This will be a year to learn how to trust the universe and know that like one’s precious Guru, it always supports you. Also to hone your intuition.

Like Shiva who’s festival MahaShivratri is just before Losar, Pisces can be both destructive and creative, and is usually leading the headstrong ego that crosses lines, oversteps marks, or, in this particular time frame, has unrealistic expectation.

With two fish swimming this way and that, it suggests we do have a choice within our usually dualistic frame. In addition to dreams and visions capable of uniting us to the sacred Oneness of life, we can also develop faith in absolute truth: we are all connected and nothing exists from its own side.

Also, during this three-week period with Losar and the 2147 year of the White Iron Mouse, with Sun and Moon Mercury and Neptune in Pisces on the 23^rd,  there is the potential to give rise to the transformation of negative emotion. Magic is in the air. Take note of subtle sensitivities in meditation and/or current dreams containing incredible symbology, for they may be clairvoyant and /or pertinent to profound spiritual healing and personal realization. 

‘Heal yourself and you heal the world’ ~ Dr Max Gearson

Activities which encourage a positive expression of Pisces include yoga, tai-chi, chi-gung, dance, music, prayer, mantra and meditation, trance, hypnotism – and all endeavours that dissolve ego so that encourage a divine union to merge with the great Oceanic oneness, swimming is good too. Alcohol and drugs, even prescription ones, are substances that can also take you out of this world, but best avoided as certain toxins confuse by doing a smash and grab job on the psyche that convolutes subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) psychic body energy, as well as disturb the pineal gland, which is ruled by Neptune, the planet linked to Pisces. There are times, however, when we need to take the meds, if only to boost our immune system. Like now. Mercury is the planet of health, while Pisces is the viral and unseen pollution; I’d like to think there will be a breakthrough on the recent pneumonia epidemic during the coming weeks and relief for the suffering souls. 

Pisces also rules large institutions and in the old days was assigned to hospitals, prisons (which sounds like quarantine!) and lunatic asylums. In Victorian times, Pisces was the sign of one’s self-undoing and personal suffering. I tend to view Pisces as the sign of the zodiac which flows with the undercurrent, sensing and acting as a conduit for the collective imagination, as well as its shadowy subconscious. Pisces knows how to flow with Divine blessings that transport to a multidimensional cosmic interconnected Oneness.

In Tibetan Buddhism we use a technique that is very ‘Piscean-Neptunian, 12^th House, visualisation works in meditation for many reasons. One of the most important is that by focusing upon the visualisation (with the third eye) we can transform our understanding of duality, to see all life is Maya, an illusion, a dream that has relative joy and beauty but no need of attachment to the chains of ego, and thereby release karmic bonds to the wild Samsaric Ocean, associated astrologically with Pisces, Neptune and the 12^th house. So who knows? Maybe in three weeks time when Mercury goes forward (okay, a month for some), there may be those who suddenly woke, enlightened by realisation .