Pisces: dates, element, planet, symbolism and associated stones

Who are Pisces?

Pisces is the twelfth and final sign of the zodiac. Its symbol shows two fish swimming in opposite directions, joined by a cord. A Greek story tells that Aphrodite and her son Eros, pursued by the monster Typhon, threw themselves into a river in the form of fish, tied together so as not to lose each other. As always, it is a legend.

The last sign is the one where endings meet beginnings: after Pisces comes Aries again, and the cycle begins anew. This idea of a loop explains the "dreamy" and "in-between" tone usually attributed to it.

The traditional sheet at a glance

Pisces closes the cycle: the sun is in it just before the March equinox, which brings back Aries. Dates in the "tropical" zodiac, the one used in most Western horoscopes, vary by a day from year to year (leap years, exact time and place of birth): if you were born on the day of transition between two signs, a birth chart calculated to the exact hour is needed to know which one applies.

The tropical zodiac starts at the spring equinox and divides the year into twelve equal segments of 30 degrees; it no longer matches the position of the constellations in the sky, because of the precession of the equinoxes, a slow movement of the Earth's axis that completes one turn in about 25,800 years. The "sidereal" zodiac, more used in India, follows the constellations instead and therefore gives dates shifted by about three weeks.

Element, modality and ruling planet

Water: the element of emotions and imagination. Mutable: Pisces ends winter and prepares for spring; it is associated with adaptability and fluidity. Jupiter: in the ancient tradition, the planet of expansion and faith, the ruler of Pisces. After the discovery of Neptune in 1846, many modern astrologers assigned this sign to Neptune, the planet of dreams, mist and inspiration. Again, some authors keep Jupiter, others Neptune, and others both.

Symbolic qualities

Pisces is associated with imagination, compassion, sensitivity, intuition, a taste for art and music, and the ability to step into other people's shoes. In traditional portraits, the flip side is difficulty setting limits, a tendency to escape reality or to be overwhelmed.

These portraits are archetypes to be taken lightly: very pragmatic Pisceans exist, as do dreamers under every sign. If you are going through a period of fatigue or sadness, turn to people close to you or to a professional: no sign can replace real support.

Relationships with other signs

In astrology, the relationship between two signs is described by the angle separating them in the zodiac. Here is the common vocabulary, applied to Pisces, with no compatibility prediction at all:

• Opposition (signs 180 degrees apart, six signs apart): Virgo. Astrologers see a face-to-face that complements, a mirror.
• Trine (same element, water): Cancer and Scorpio. One speaks of a kinship of tone, an ease in understanding one another.
• Sextile (complementary elements): Taurus and Capricorn. A link described as stimulating and sociable.
• Square (same modality, different element): Gemini and Sagittarius. Tradition sees a tension that either drives things forward or irritates.

These relationships are reading conventions: they do not say how a real relationship will go.

Traditionally associated stones

For Pisces, traditions differ. Twentieth-century jewellery lists mostly cite amethyst and aquamarine; other authors add moonstone or fluorite, by analogy with water and the sea. The older lists inspired by Aaron's breastplate do not agree with one another.

Fluorite is soft and sensitive to shocks and heat; amethyst fades in sunlight. Check each stone's page before cleaning it.

Mood tips

A "Pisces" atmosphere is soft and fluid: blue-green and lilac tones, subdued lighting, instrumental music, a corner for drawing, writing or daydreaming. You might take a warm bath, keep a dream journal, listen to a singing bowl or a tingsha (see the singing bowls guide) or go for a walk by the water. These are ideas for atmosphere, with no forecasting value.

What science says

Scientifically, studies to date have not shown that a birth sign allows a character to be described or events to be predicted; astrology remains a symbolic and cultural language, which can be appreciated for its tradition and its poetry without considering it a science.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Guide to the astrological signs.