The Eagle, the Prince and the Fishes ~ Aquarius and Pisces

Jupiter, or Zeus in the ancient Greek pantheon, is the biggest, loudest god with his thunderbolts and lightening, so when he moves from one sign to another astrologers consider this big news. Jupiter, crosses the threshold into his own domicile, Pisces — his happy place, on the 12th May.

It is uncommon for a planetary ingress to coincide with a retrograde phase and this might also prove to be significant, as if Jupiter has some unfinished business in Aquarius, the house of Saturn. Jupiter retrogrades back into Aquarius in early July where he stays until new year’s eve when he moves back into Pisces.

It will be nice to dip our toes into the sea, the realm of Pisces, and perhaps receive an epiphany, or a glimpse of the freedom and optimism to come. For too long we have been overwhelmed by harsh realities, concerns and responsibilities, those Saturn imperatives that we have endured for the last two years, while Jupiter has been transiting the Saturn-ruled signs Capricorn and then Aquarius. Jupiter cannot do his work of expanding and elevating in such heavy signs.

Aquarius is a fixed sign; materialistic and slow to change, while Pisces is mutable; mobile with fluid boundaries. Pisces endorses the principles of kindness, empathy, inclusivity and generosity, while Aquarius is concerned with ideology, tribe consciousness, science and reason. Our beliefs are in for a drastic shake-up. Start now by asking yourself what you actually, authentically believe in.

Aquarius and Pisces: They could not be more different. Aquarius is the sign of the cup-bearer (or water-bearer) Ganymede, who is said to symbolise the brotherhood of man, embodying ideals of equality, the greater good, community and humanity. Ganymede, the beautiful Prince of Troy, who was up-lifted by the giant eagle Aquila, and whisked away into the heavenly abode of the gods to serve as their wine pourer for all eternity. Some versions of the myth say that he was so unhappy in his servitude he cried a river of tears which flooded the entire earth.

Saturn, or Cronus in the ancient Greek, is known as Father Time, the stern and jealous god who ate his children, as time is destined to eat us all. In Saturn’s cold heart we are all dust in the wind.

Jupiter will be rejuvenated in his own sign, Pisces. As Zeus, he is the sky-father-god who supplanted his father Cronus and ushered in the golden age of divine order, beauty and goodness. It would be nice to think there is a golden age coming, even a short one.

Pisces is the story of the two fishes which also has ancient origins. The Ichthyes were two large river fish who rescued Aphrodite and her son Eros from the terrible, rampaging monster Typhon. They climbed onto the fish who then swam away to safety. In some versions the fish were the shapes they changed into. These same fish were said to mid-wife Aphrodite from sea foam. In late classical art they were portrayed as Aphros and Bythos, the fish-tailed sea-centaurs who served the goddess, connecting the sacred mythology of the sea with the goddess of beauty and love. Aphrodite, later called Venus, is a very ancient sea goddess.

That the ancient astrologers assigned Jupiter the rulership of Pisces where Venus is exalted is significant. In the temple of Pisces, Jupiter is the god of compassion and protector of the sacred. In the temple of Sagittarius, which he also rules, he is the god of truth, hurling evangelical thunderbolts at the faithless and rewarding the righteous with immortality.

The unifying principle of Water, the sacred element of one-ness, soul and divinity is magnified and elevated when Jupiter sits on his throne in Pisces, a sign that was also known as the symbol for Christ. From impersonal, impervious air we move into deep, surging, emotional Water, from austerity to fecundity, from fear to trust, from control to surrender, from commitment to freedom.

Saturn has been a harsh teacher and so has Jupiter under the auspices of Saturn. We have had to abide by rules and limitations, learning the price that is paid when we cut corners. Jupiter has radicalised and inflated our ideals. We have had to choose sides.

We have been between a rock and hard place, giving up our freedom for the greater good and surrendering our rights and privileges out of necessity. Our wings have been clipped. Have we grieved for what we lost? Have we learned to appreciate what we have been given?

I’m looking forward to writing more about the ingress of Jupiter into Pisces.