Pisces & The Moon
Astrology
Pisces is the twelfth sign of the zodiac and the sign associated with the Moon archetype in the tarot. Pisces are stereotypically associated with dreams, spirituality, psychic abilities and creativity. As much as I can see why these attributes fit within the framework of the Moon card in the tarot, the card with which the sign is associated, I sometimes find myself thinking that Cancer would be better placed. After all, the Moon is the planet associated with the zodiac sign of Cancer.
Pisces is a water sign, along with Cancer and Scorpio. It is mutable, and feminine and falls between 19 February to 20 March in the northern hemisphere. Traditionally it is ruled by Jupiter, the planet of expansion and luck. Its modern ruler is Neptune - the planet that rules the seas and the collective mind.
Pisces rules the feet, our first physical connection to this planet that allows us to move from A to B. With that said, Pisces are apparently good dancers - which I get, I’ve known many Pisces who dance professionally. They are also said to be understanding and empathic as being the last sign in the western zodiac, they contain elements from all the previous signs.
They make excellent artists and musicians and have a natural ability for clairvoyance and mediumship. Their strong intuitive abilities also make them excellent business people and administrators. They are referred to as the “mystic of the zodiac”, p137, Farnell. In my mind, Pisces always win when it comes to dreaming. If you have strong Piscean energy in your chart or know anyone else with a Pisces Sun/ Moon/ rising, you’ll get what I mean.
The symbol for Pisces, two fish swimming in opposite directions reveals the quandary felt by the sign, the dualistic nature. One fish swims towards Aquarius, the sign of the humanitarian and the other swims in the opposite direction towards Aries, the sign of personal gain and resources.
Perhaps it is the duality that the sign of Pisces embodies that makes it a better fit with the Moon. Mark Twain said, ‘Everyone is a moon’ - meaning that we all contain a ‘dark side’ within us, one that we don’t show to the world.
The Moon, number 18 in the Major Arcana is the card associated with Pisces. It comes just after the Star and precedes the Sun. These three cosmic, celestial cards lead to our true spiritual awakening. The dualistic qualities that the Moon card embodies are highlighted beautifully in the Nefartari rendition of the archetype. The ideas of opposites, shadow and light, yin and yang, wild vs tamed.
When it shows up in a reading it can represent mystery, dreams, creativity, our unconscious, imagination and psychic abilities. Taboo subjects and nocturnal energy, menstrual cycles, and things that are kept hidden such as moonlighting and secrets. It is a reminder that these hidden parts of us are still a part of us. Both are equally important, although one side might get to show its face more.
Some people dislike getting the Moon card in a reading for it can sometimes signify a time of confusion, illusion, wildness, or a loss of control. Luna, the Latin word for Moon, is the root of the word for lunacy meaning madness. Lunatic comes from the Latin word lunaticus, which was a word used to describe ailments such as madness and epilepsy, illnesses that at the time were thought to be influenced by the Moon. Even today, the Full Moon is often heralded as a time when people feel out of sorts, perhaps feeling more emotional, their behaviour more erratic. Most modern science is quick to dismiss this theory, however, research by psychiatrist Thomas Wehr is more in line with what many have believed for centuries, that the moon cycle can affect our moods.
When we look at the Pamela Colman Smith rendition of the card, we see a full moon, with lines and a face that suggests the phases of the moon, crescent, waning, etc. Below we see two towers, with a dog and a wolf in between looking up towards the moon. A lobster-type creature is coming up from the water onto land. It is a strange set-up in itself.
I can see why Pamela Colman Smith chose the wolf and the dog as the mammals depicted on the card. We are tasked with looking at our animal nature with this card, that which is so often kept hidden from polite society. The wolf brings to my mind werewolves, perhaps because they are said to shapeshift under the light of a full moon. Imagine the sensory overload this ability would have on you, especially if you were able to transfer back into your human form with the memory of being a beast. Would you remember the visceral feeling of your bones growing and cracking into their new animal form? Remember all the smells that your wolf nose could smell? And the taste of the blood of the animal that your wolf self hunted?
This is the energy of the Moon. The weird thoughts that you keep to yourself. But it is also the creativity that screams to be released. So what if people think you're mental, at least you got it out of your system.
Bibliography
The Book of Symbols: Reflections on Archetypal Images, Taschen
Seventy Eight Degrees of Wisdom, Rachel Pollack
Astrology, Kim Farnell
