How To Recognize... Pisces

PISCES

Whoever said, "I don't want to be a millionaire-I just want to live like one," was truly reflecting the Piscean philosophy. The typical Neptune heart is free of greed. There's a lack of intensity, almost a carelessness about tomorrow. There's also an intuitive knowledge of yesterday and a gentle tolerance of today. It's never easy for either real or human fish to struggle and fight their way upstream. But challenges are what these people prefer.

You'll be impressed with the Piscean charm of manner and lazy good nature. He's even more indifferent to insults, recriminations and other people's bristling opinions. He does have a temper. When he's finally aroused, he can be bitingly sarcastic, with a clever, caustic tongue. Neptunians can lash their tails angrily and spill forth a torrent of nervous irritability, but the typical Pisces will normally take the path of least resistance, and the cool waters of Neptune continually wash away his anger.

When you meet Pisces people, look first at their feet. They'll be quite noticeably small and dainty (including the men's), or else they'll be huge and spread out like a tired washerwoman's. The Pisces hands will also be tiny, fragile, and exquisitely formed-or else big ham bones that look as though they belong behind a plow. The skin is silky soft; the hair is fine, often wavy, and usually light. Pisces eyes are liquid, heavy-lidded, and full of strange lights. Frequently, but not always, they're slightly protruding, bulbous and extremely compelling. Some Piscean eyes are simply beautiful. There's no other word to describe them. The features are elastic and mobile, and you'll usually find more dimples than wrinkles. Few Pisceans are tall; Neptune bodies are sometimes awkwardly built, but with their extraordinary grace, it's seldom discernible.

The two fish in reversed directions symbolize the choice given Pisces.  Pisces must learn that he is to serve mankind in some way, and eschew worldly possessions. Although Pisceans shrink from competition, the strong pull of Neptune sends many of them, even the shy ones, toward the bright footlights, where they can use their fabulous powers of interpretation to project myriad emotions.

His judgment is as fair and detached as that of Libra, and his love of pleasure is also purely Libran. Pisces people have the crazy sense of fun of Cancer, as well as both the Cancerian sympathy and crabbiness. They're sometimes full of the Sagittarian outspoken frankness and generosity, as fun-loving and outgoing as Leo, yet as devoted to duty as Capricorn, and often just as envious of social distinction. There may also be a smattering of the saturnine melancholy. Perhaps more than just a smattering. The fish can be as moody as a Moon child and as happy as a lion. He likes to tease and analyze in Aquarian fashion. He's often overflowing with Aries idealism and enthusiasm, but usually without the Mars drive. A Pisces person can zip around with Gemini quickness, talk just as fast and think just as cleverly. He can also be as lazy and peaceful as Taurus. He has the clever wit of Mercury and the soft grace of Venus, and he combines it with the mystic penetration of Scorpio, without the Scorpio's ruthlessness.

Pisces people seem to have slow metabolisms, which is why they often wake up sleepy-eyed and listless. Poor eating habits can bring troubles with liver and intestinal functions and digestive troubles. Accidents to, or some abnormalities of the feet, hands or hips are common, also colds, flu and pneumonia. The lungs are not strong, and weak toes and ankles may result from March births. The fish seem to have fallen arches and metatarsal injuries or superbly strong and supple feet. There's no in between. They have a hidden inner resistance, however, and one of the challenges of Neptune is to discover this latent strength and call on it. Pisceans can literally hypnotize themselves into or out of anything they choose-including fear of cats, mice, heights, subways, elevators and people.

Humor is one of their secret weapons. Sometimes the fun is warm and harmless, sometimes it's cold and merciless; but it's always a cover for another emotion the fish wants to hide, seldom spontaneous of itself. Pisces wears his laughs as a mask, and they disguise him well. They are friendly, helpful and non-judgmental.

Neptune is a deceptive planet, capable of giving birth to natures that twist and turn in two directions at once, distorting the truth, an influence which often causes Pisces to hide his real emotions.

Pisces is represented, not by iron or mercury or gold o lead, but by the vibrations of the indefinable, artificial metals-again, an echo of the unreal and the illusionary He sees his reflection in three dimensions in the violet amethyst and the clear emerald; and his natal flowers an the water lily and the lotus. Their blossoms are pink and white and delicate, but their stems and leaves are made of strong fibers, tough and indestructible, unless they're ton up by the roots. Few can follow Pisces and probe the aquamarine nature, whether he swims downstream to oblivion, just another lashing speck in the large, moving school of fish-or fights his way upstream to conquer the swift current and find serenity in pure waters. He is stronger than he thinks and wiser than he knows, but Neptune guards this secret until he discovers it for himself.