Welcome to the fluctuating, nuanced energy of Pisces season! March will indeed be a very, er, lively, month astrologically – heralding a lunar eclipse, Venus and Mercury retrogrades, the Spring Equinox, and a solar eclipse as a grand finale on the 29th. It’s all a bit much to take in, but as with everything in life, so much of how it goes depends on how you meet it. What can you do daily to ground and center yourself, to create space for rest, quiet reflection, and practical caretaking of your mind and body? The quality of our well-being results from small, feasible gestures that add up to tremendous progress over time. When we are well, our relationships are more balanced, and we are more effective at work and better equipped to engage with the sometimes undesirable surprises that show up along the way.

Pisces energy is good medicine right now—its adaptability, imagination, and compassionate outlook can help us respond to everything with a softer, kinder, more flexible perspective. This watery sign is most commonly associated with Neptune, its modern ruling planet since the late 1800s. However, its classical ruler is actually Jupiter! If you’re scratching your head over this seemingly odd association, sit a spell, and let’s unfold it.

As the largest planet in our solar system, hot and gassy Jupiter buffers Earth from the asteroid belt, acting as a protective body. It also sits between Saturn and Mars, which in astrological terms are the two malefics; Jupiter mediates their difficulties. It was named after the Roman god of the sky and all other gods. His ancient Greek counterpart is the mighty Zeus of the thunderbolt and a dazzling list of lovers and progeny. In many ways, he is the father of all. He began as the son of Chronos, king of the Titans, and his wife Rhea. Disturbed by a prophecy that one of his children was fated to dethrone him, Chronos swallowed each of his children at birth. Rhea saved the infant Zeus by substituting a stone wrapped in swaddling cloth for her husband to consume and hid Zeus in a cave on a remote island. There he was nursed by the female goat Amalthaea in safety. Once grown, he led a revolt against the Titans and succeeded in dethroning Cronus with his brothers Hades and Poseidon, with whom he then divided dominion over the world.

Zeus/Jupiter’s kingly, paternal, all-powerful reign above the clouds on Mount Olympus personifies the energies of the planet as they show up in our world. Common themes are righteousness, fairness, mercy, leadership, benediction, good fortune, heavenly fathers, religious beliefs, philosophy, higher learning, and expansion of our worldview through travel and connection with other cultures. Jupiter encourages us to aspire to higher ideals and consider concepts of universal law. Esoteric artist and mystic M.M. Meleen sees this energy as “teaching and preaching.” Along with all this loftiness, there’s also a definite permissiveness to Jupiter, a kingly indulgence of one’s appetites and the pleasures of life. Charisma, hedonism, gluttony, and tyranny can show up, along with imbibing substances as an “enhancement” – used to either seek deeper truths or to access fantastical realms.

Jupiter is the traditional ruler of two zodiacal signs – Sagittarius and Pisces, mutable fire and water, respectively. Looking at his influence reflected through these different lenses, we see spiritual aspiration to the sublime versus transcending and dissolving into the sublime. Sagittarius is an assertive, bold energy that reaches toward the divine. It aspires to the higher ideal and the fulfillment of an epic destiny. Sagittarius moves with a swift gallop towards the treasured goal; there is action, adventure, and diverting detours along the way. Conversely, the receptive energy of Pisces takes in rather than pursues. Sometimes called the cosmic ocean or “well at the end of the world,” there is a collecting capacity for Pisces. It is the subconscious. It receives and stores emotions, intuitive signs, collective symbols, subtle vibrations, and echoes of other times and dimensions. They all come together and dissolve into each other . . . dissolution into the divine.

Sagittarian energy can be remarkably prophetic – it looks ahead, intuits what is to come, and speaks it. In contrast, Pisces is psychic in that it senses and receives ripples of what is or will be, but may never express what it perceives. Sagittarian tells and Pisces knows.

The spirituality of Jupiter is centered on faith and higher ideals. It’s about what you believe, but not necessarily what is true. What are our concepts of infinity? Who are we and why are we here? What are we to do? What principles guide our lives? How do we experience and express our spiritual views?

In the Tarot, we see Jupiter move through the Major and Minor Arcana, bringing mercy, blessings, some good luck, and the vastness of the infinite.

The Wheel of Fortune, ruled by Jupiter, demonstrates the rise and fall of your fortunes during a lifetime. It’s a dance between motion and stillness – the Wheel is always spinning, with you at its center. It often indicates a moment of opportunity, when your best bet is to step forward and reach for the goodies being offered. Your possibilities are expanding and there’s dynamism in the air. Say yes and be available to participate and accept the lucky break, because the Wheel keeps cycling and next time around it might not be so auspicious.

In Temperance/Art, you emerge from a trial by fire with a chance at a fresh start. It is related to the alchemical process, the harmonizing of disparate ingredients to create something new, and the transformation of base metals to gold. With visionary energy of constant movement and optimism, Sagittarius looks ahead and sees wonderful possibilities. An idealistic, almost prophetic goal looms on the horizon and they move towards it with speed and tremendous faith. Their movement incorporates the aiming of the bow – it must be just right to hit the target. Sagittarian energy comes at the end of a fiery cycle, so its strength is in its flexibility. This is mutable fire . . . it can adapt.

The Moon is a trial by water, sinking into murky depths of the subconscious where complexities are explored and hope is reborn. An emotional release, the fulfillment of a cherished wish, and an attachment to the illusion of permanent bliss play out under mysterious lunar light and shadows. The Moon holds dreams and nightmares, wishes and delusions. It’s reflective and ever-changing. You see and feel differently under its influence, and it takes you into your sea of fears and urges, fantasies and phantoms. The emotional experience of The Moon card is like walking through fog on an unfamiliar road or swimming in dark waters. What you see may or may not be real and might delight or terrify you. It reflects you to yourself, the parts you tend to avoid – only now you must see to release what binds you, to free yourself and be reborn anew. We prefer to ignore or deny our emotions because they scare us and often seem uncontrollable and inconvenient. The Moon card urges you to communicate with them instead, to try and understand what they need.

With Two of Pentacles (Jupiter in Capricorn), we are on the cusp of harmonious change. These are the initial ups and downs of being on the Wheel. The movements of the wheel power life and must keep turning, just as dynamic change must continue. In the early days of the manifestation process, you are trying to figure it out, refine your vision, and address burgeoning challenges. There is inherent instability at this point because the foundation of your endeavor is still being formed, and yet so much is still possible. Your world is expanding and contracting with those first growing pains.

In Four of Swords (Jupiter in Libra), a moment of truce or rest is possible. Take a mental break and give yourself some space. Step back from any contentious discussions or solo problem-solving distress. Clarity will come with this sacred pause. Having a generosity of spirit and agreeing to disagree with others can be helpful. Create space in your mind through meditation or putting any heated conversations or decision-making on the back burner for a short time.

The Six of Wands (Jupiter in Leo) is a shining moment of success in the sun. It’s the feeling of victory and sitting at the top of the Wheel. You are the winner - temporarily. Maybe you earned it, or perhaps not. Sometimes life just smiles on you and the blessings arrive. Fame, publicity, or a heightened public image can be part of this experience. Accept the opportunity to be seen and give your best to the attentive masses. Fortune is a fickle companion, after all.

With the Eight of Swords (Jupiter in Gemini), there can be too much of a good thing. Jupiter’s expansiveness takes all those beautiful Gemini thoughts and multiplies them like Gremlins. There are too many options, overwhelming the mind and ramping up the anxiety. You can get stuck in “analysis paralysis,” frozen in self-doubt over whether we will make the right choice. Often the best way to move out of this stressful state is to pick something just so a shift forward can occur. Another helpful remedy is to move the focus from the overstimulated brain into the body by engaging in some mild physical activity.

In Nine of Cups (Jupiter in Pisces) you make your dearest wishes. Here the dreams that you cherish can come true. Emotional fulfillment grows and you can experience heightened joy, delight, and happiness. You have focused our faith and imagination on breaking down barriers to what may seem impossible. The love and desire you infuse into your wishes help them materialize – nothing is too grand to be realized when your belief has no limits.

May your Pisces season be blessed with beauty, deep faith in your own potential, and the grace of Jupiter’s warmth!

Lisa De La O Wyman is a Tarot reader and writer based in Redondo Beach. At Tarot for Empowerment, she works with individual clients, private parties, and special events. Through her work, she seeks to connect people with their innate power as well as encounter the mystery in everyday life. She can be reached via Instagram and Facebook at @tarotforempowerment, email at info@tarotforempowerment.com , and website www.tarotforempowerment.com.

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