This season’s tarotscopes feature the Moonchild Tarot and the Compendium of Constellations.
Aquarius season has had us soaring high, looking at the world from a bird’s eye view and remembering the big picture – and during this last season, you may have spent a lot of time considering how your broader goals impact those around you, looking for ways to raise collective consciousness or tap into possibility for a lasting legacy of altruism, service, and radical impact. Similarly, with the Star we’ve pulled ourselves out of the intensely personal pain and fear of the Tower’s chaos and instead begun to look at the world with new eyes, embracing a sense of restoration and learning to heal by giving our emotions room to breathe. There’s a sense with the Star that we have been re-learning how the world works, finding new possibilities and potential in the future we are now facing.
Today we leave innovative, independent Aquarius behind and move into Pisces season, a mutable water sign ruled by Neptune and associated with compassion, dreams, illusion, and powerful emotions. Like all water signs, Pisces invites trust in emotion and a desire for sensitivity – but unlike focused, private Cancer or intense, secretive Scorpio, Pisces is imaginative and generous, using their gifts of intuition and empathy to help others expand and explore their inner depths. Creative and spiritual, Pisces season is a time to explore the subconscious, to pay attention to dreams and fantasy. Where does your mind go when you give it space to wander? What emotions bubble to the surface when you stop trying to hold back? Pisces isn’t afraid of the power of their feelings or the strength of their connections, instead urging us to embrace all that we are and dive as deep as possible into the unknown.
The Star may have helped us find healing and restoration, allowing us space to recover from shifts and rediscover our place in the world. But with Pisces and the Moon, our birth card for this season, we move from expansive air to the endless depths of water, diving headfirst into that personal, powerful ocean that we all carry within ourselves. Pisces asks us to shift our gaze from the whole world to our own spirit and mind, to move into a space of sensitivity after the more detached, broad focus of Aquarius. It can give us a bit of whiplash, moving from this “rebel with a cause” energy into a space of cycling emotions and intense connections – but the Moon makes room for us to explore our own wildness, to get out of our heads a bit and instead surrender to those powerful instincts that we don’t always make space for.
What does it feel like when you let go of a need for control and instead indulge your richest fantasies, your most powerful longings, your deepest cravings? Who do you become when you stop trying to be what others need you to be, and instead rely on your own intuition? The Moon is an archetype of mystery and magic, a chance to run barefoot through the wilds and scream at the sky, to live in our dreams, to explore our every fantasy. It can be intoxicating, this kind of surrender, giving us a sense of freedom and chaos that we rarely allow ourselves to embrace – but it can also get a little scary, realizing just how deep our own emotions go, the power that we hold within us. Tapping into our most personal desires and shadows is not for the faint of heart, and knowing how long to indulge those fantasies and when it’s time to pull back to the real world can be a tough line to find. And as our birth card for this new season, the Moon acts as both a guide and a warning, giving us space to explore that wild internal unknown while still reflecting back the light of day, reminding us that the sun will soon return and we cannot live our lives forever in the darkness.
If you are still feeling a bit shaken after a season with the Star, if diving headfirst into your personal mysteries and longings feels like way too much, allow the Moon to be a comforting companion rather than an ominous, menacing presence. Pisces may push us to explore and expand, to allow our sensitivities to reveal themselves, but this isn’t an urging to rip open all of our scars and suffer in silence. Instead the Moon asks us to look closely at who we truly are, to stop trying to hide our secrets or shadows and instead embrace the person we have been, and the person we are becoming. We all carry darkness and fears alongside those dreams and fantasies, and learning to find balance within all of them, to accept every part of ourselves, can help us find a kind of strength and purpose and self-love that gives us the confidence to chase those big dreams and believe in who we are.
This season will bring some impactful lessons and powerful shifts for many of us, with eight major arcana archetypes showing up in this reading. From manifestation and balance to transformation and acceptance, this is a season to move gently, to listen to our intuition, and to trust in our own inner wisdom. In this season of Pisces, make space for imagination and dreaming, but don’t get so tangled in your own depths that you lose sight of the world around you. Experienced tarot readers or astrologers can plug the cards I’ve drawn for their sun, moon, and rising signs into the spread below to create a custom reading for this season. Since our card for this season is the Moon, pay special attention to the reading for your moon sign – but Pisces is also ruled by Neptune, the planet of illusion, fantasy, and creativity, so if you know your Neptune placement you can also plug that into this spread for a more in-depth reading for the season.
I’ve had a few new pieces published on Autostraddle recently, including an in-depth examination of the Emperor as our card for 2020 and a roundtable on the queer magic that is She-Ra. I took some photos of this incredible pet couture fashion show, and was also recently featured on Talkin’ Tarot with Theresa Reed. You can support my ongoing tarot studies, creative work, and publishing dreams at Patreon, and I provide daily card studies and free weekly community readings on my Instagram. I also offer personal, custom readings through my newly updated website, along with larger seasonal spreads, writings, and a new downloadable study guide with explorations of all 78 tarot cards. I’m currently working on another e-book, so make sure you’re following my social media accounts for the latest updates.
As always with these tarot readings, take what you need and leave what you don’t. Happy Pisces season!
Aries
The Hanged One
After last season’s sense of celebration and joy in the security and stability you’ve found, things may feel a bit stagnant as we move into the depths of Pisces. Whether you’re sensing a major shift on the horizon or are uncertain of which direction to move in, you may be out of options this season, forced to wait on the actions of someone else or unable to make a decision about how to move forward. Pisces isn’t afraid of powerful emotions or rich sensitivity, so remember the lessons of the Moon as you sit in this place of surrender and awareness. What are you being asked to consider? How does needing to release feel, and what can it teach you? Resist the urge to push forward and instead take time to reflect on where you are, what growth you have experienced, and how you hope to proceed. Making space to think through possibilities and choices, even if you didn’t make the decision to pause yourself, can still be a valuable thing, and right now the universe is asking you to wait.
Taurus
Justice
You’ve been in a difficult position, perhaps struggling with seeing a challenge or obstacle from a new perspective or trying to release a victim mindset. If the last season or two have felt stressful or difficult, navigating both truth and emotion, you may feel a sense of relief during watery, sensitive Pisces season. This isn’t always a comfortable energy for you, dealing with powerful feelings and personal exploration, but for you, this season will provide opportunities to make strong choices and firm decisions about what you want and where you’re going. You may be forced to put some of your personal ethics to the test, seeing how your ideas about how the world should work actually play out when applied to practical situations. But your natural ability to focus hard and plan ahead will help you in the coming weeks, so don’t be afraid to rely on yourself and go after what you want. Trust in your ability to cut to the core of an issue, to see truth, and let your instincts come to the forefront, especially if you’re faced with a major decision.
Gemini
Six of wands
The last season or two may have brought forward some complex emotions or difficult situations, forcing you to navigate challenges and or exercise patience in trying to decide what to do next. But as we shift into Pisces season, movement may begin to feel more free, with new opportunities for growth and expansion, personal strength and exploration. Things may start to feel a bit easier, and your natural ability to move quickly and with purpose, to gather information and collaborate with others, will help you feel a new sense of freedom and magic. Celebrate how far you’ve come, all that you’ve navigated and endured, and let this new season of fire and courage help you leave some of those old hurts and worries behind. But even as you find joy and pride in your many accomplishments, don’t lose sight of your bigger goals, of those dreams you have for your future. Your work isn’t done yet, so keep moving forward and letting your vision expand.
Cancer
King of swords
You’ve been coming to terms with some challenges, finding new clarity and allowing your perspectives to expand – and that work can be hard or exhausting, but it’s so very important. This season, you may feel a new sense of confidence in your ability to see truth, to dig deep into complex situations and trust your instincts. You’re so good at setting boundaries and being clear about what you will and will not allow, and while that won’t shift this month, you may find yourself looking at those boundaries more closely, and considering where adjustments could be useful.
This season may bring opportunities for leadership or taking control of something that’s important to you, so if you’re someone that doesn’t always jump at the chance to be in charge, be open to this possibility. Think through your decisions and options carefully, don’t rush your own progress, and trust in your ability to see and understand truth. You can be a brilliant and sensitive leader when you need to be, and this may be the time for you to move into a position of authority.
Leo
The Tower
After working with the Moon’s mysterious magic last season, you may have discovered some new pieces of yourself, a wildness or sense of adventure or deep longing for something you hadn’t explored before. And whether that sense of shadow and expansion has had you feeling like a shift is on the horizon or you aren’t sure what’s coming next, this season may bring a powerful change or impactful transition that shakes you up and forces you to look at yourself and your world in a completely new way. There’s an opportunity here to leave something broken behind and create a entirely new foundation, but you will have to harness your natural courage and confidence in order to see the opportunities clearly.
The Tower is a scary card for many people, and I won’t pretend that this isn’t a difficult energy to work with at times – it may feel that everything is changing, that you’ve lost control, that you’re being forced to release something before you’re ready. Be gentle with yourself, and try not to judge yourself for your emotions or needs during this time. But remember too that the Tower only breaks what needs to be broken, making space for new growth and powerful, essential change. What feels difficult in this moment may end up being incredibly positive for your future.
Virgo
Judgement
For you, last season was all about protecting yourself from mental noise, and learning to set boundaries for yourself. Truth is a tricky thing sometimes, and isn’t always as clear as we want it to be, and Pisces season will be about being honest with yourself, being real about who you truly are and what it is you need at your most personal level. There’s something lingering within you, an emotion or intuitive bit of wisdom that you haven’t wanted to examine too closely, but in this season of water and sensitivity, you may be forced to confront it. And while this may be especially uncomfortable for you, as someone who likes things to be tidy and organized, it is also an essential turning point, a chance for you to leave something painful behind and begin a powerful new chapter.
Friend, whatever you’re hanging on to, whatever you’re refusing to forgive yourself for – this is the season to release it and finally move forward. Absolutely no one is perfect, but clinging to your guilt or anger or frustration or sadness, whatever emotions you’ve been smothering or needs you’ve been ignoring or desires you’ve been suppressing, is not helping you, and is actually stunting your growth. You cannot move forward until you deal with this, but I promise that when you do, everything will change for the better. Set yourself free, and don’t look back.
Libra
The Devil
With so much emotion and sensitivity in the air, Pisces season may bring some challenges, as you work to focus on your own intense feelings in spite of the powerful shifts around you. Last season may have brought forward some unexpected truths for you, and as you wrestle with these new insights, you may find yourself struggling with ideas of power and control. Where do you keep a tight rein on your emotions, and where do you allow them to come spilling out? What tempts you to surrender, and what do you avoid at all costs? Sometimes giving in to our deepest longings or most powerful cravings can be a beautiful escape from our normal life, but if you’re uncertain how much you can handle, it may be time to walk away.
You so often are working to balance everything for those around you, taking everyone’s thoughts and needs and desires into consideration alongside your own. But when you cut out all the noise and focus only on yourself, what is it that you crave, that you long for? What do you want? It may be that the fantasies you’ve been indulging aren’t what you need right now, but check in with yourself and make sure that you aren’t just ignoring your own desires because of how someone else might judge them. It’s okay to put yourself first sometimes, and to go after the things you want.
Scorpio
Two of wands
The boundaries and intentions that you set last season have helped you clarify what you’re working towards, and this season makes a bit more space for dreaming, for checking in with yourself, and for considering your choices. Pay attention to what energizes you, to what visions of the future bring excitement and passion and purpose, and begin to shift your focus towards that new idea. When you give yourself space to imagine your future, what resonates? Are the goals you’re working towards things that inspire and excite you, or are you already feeling bored or frustrated, uncertain of why you’re on this path?
If you’re excited about where you’re going, take some steps to get organized, to make a plan, and to consider what comes next. But if that brilliant idea is starting to seem like a waste of time, take a step back and find your center. Just because something is exciting doesn’t mean you have to throw your whole self into it, so listen to your gut and do what feels right for you.
Sagittarius
The Universe
The last few seasons have been all about honoring where you are, reflecting on how far you’ve come and considering where you want to go next. And while you may feel that there is still so much more to go, so many new places to explore and dreams to fulfill and visions to clarify, your Pisces season asks you to celebrate the evolution that you have found and the rich transformations that you have undergone. Look back on where you were six months ago, one year ago, three years ago, and ask yourself – who did I used to be? Who am I now? Who am I becoming? Honor your progress and the powerful internal work that you have been doing, the highs and lows, the victories and losses, the things you have released and the new journeys you have begun. The Universe can feel like an immense card, coming at the end of the major arcana and representing a powerful and permanent internal shift – but rather than feeling like you are supposed to be somehow complete, recognize that one cycle coming to a close makes space for another to begin. What will you build next?
Capricorn
The Emperor
You may have been moving through a season of fire and power, enjoying new inspiration and a bit of rebelliousness. But as we move into dreamy Pisces season, you’re being called to do one of the things you do best and introduce some new structure, boundaries, and intentions into your work. This is a time to get organized, to consider your big picture vision and the small details that will need to be established along the way. You don’t have to make a five-year plan or dig deep into every single nuance, but you do need to establish what you’re working towards, and start focusing your energy in a specific, intentional direction.
Don’t leave all the passion and inspiration from last season behind, though – remember the ideas and joy that sprung forth, the sense of rapid movement and powerful intention that helped you move in unexpected directions and challenge your own understandings of who you are. Make space for expansion even as you create a foundation for the future you want to build, and don’t forget how deep your passions run. Finding a way to balance this season’s intentional structure with last season’s courage and strength may help you find creative solutions to old problems, and move forward with a fresh sense of personal power.
Aquarius
Queen of wands
As we move out of your season and into the watery depths of Pisces, you may find yourself energized and eager, ready to channel all of those big ideas you’ve been exploring into actionable change. This is a chance to go big, to harness all that power and courage and strength that you carry and begin something that has the potential for brilliant, inspirational transformation. No matter what it is you’ve been dreaming of accomplishing, gather your courage and step forward with passion and intention. Once this work gets going, prepare for some rapid movement – there’s a lot of power here, so work to balance the brilliance of your mind and strength of your heart with the rush of excitement and joy you may feel.
It may seem at times that you are all on your own, and while that’s not an uncomfortable sensation for you, the charisma and confidence that others see in your work may make it easier to bring more people onto your team and get their insights as well as their help. Don’t be afraid to share this load, as getting others excited about your vision may help you find deeper reserves of energy and power.
Pisces
The Empress
Happy birthday, Pisces! After spending last season checking in with yourself and honoring your deepest personal wisdom, your season will be one of creation and abundance, manifesting all of those dreams that you’ve been holding within. You are someone that feels so deeply, that is sensitive to shifts and changes and your own needs, but sometimes you may get so caught up in those feelings that you don’t allow them to express outwards. Channel all of that rich intuition and power into your most personal projects, following your heart and honoring what feels right. This isn’t a time to obsess about perfection or worry about whatever anyone else might think about what you’re doing – instead, enjoy the sensation of pure magic flowing through you, and celebrate the beauty that you can find even in imperfections.
You may not always share everything you’re feeling, but the Empress often asks us to find others with similar energy and impact, building a community of like-minded people that can support and encourage us. Pay attention to those around you this season, and consider letting some new souls into your personal circle. You may find renewed confidence in their excitement and joy over what you’re creating, as well as being able to offer them your signature kindness and compassion in return.
this is lovely, thanks for sharing!