“It’s enough for me to be sure that you and I exist at this moment.”
— Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude
On May 13th Jupiter moves into its home sign of Pisces for a short sojourn in the expansive and inspirational waters of the sign of the fishes. Jupiter will traverse only the first couple degrees of Pisces this spring and summer, stationing retrograde at 2 degrees Pisces on June 21st, on the summer solstice, before moving back into Saturn-ruled Aquarius on July 28th, where it will remain until December 28th.
Jupiter in Pisces is the kindly wizard leading us on a quest, the inspiring professor with a philosophical bent, the curious child who wants to know, why is the sky blue? An expansive, ebullient storyteller, Jupiter, the teacher of the cosmos, in this most diffuse of signs, invites the dissolution of boundaries. It reminds us, after more than a year of Saturn-led social distancing, that walls are abstractions, self-imposed limitations, and that we are all one — you, me, humanity at large. Get ready to merge.
In its water home sign, Jupiter is emotional, adaptable, cooling, wet. It revives and restores after about two years in the arid dryness of the two Saturn-ruled signs: Aquarius, where Jupiter has been since December 2020, and Capricorn, where it was for most of 2020. Jupiter’s last tour through a sign of its rulership was in 2019 in Sagittarius, which carried us all merrily along on expansive projects and journeys, most of which abruptly crash landed in the Saturnian wasteland of early 2020 as the pandemic exploded around the world.
Jupiter’s message this spring, as we take tentative steps outside of our bubbles, is one of hope. The planet named for the ruler of the gods, which expands all it touches, shows where beneficence shines in our lives, where we luck out, where we can count on support.
People born with Jupiter in Pisces have a powerful ally in their chart, imbuing whatever whole sign house it falls in, as well as the other Jupiter-ruled house, where Sagittarius falls, with great support. A sense of good fortune can follow those with this placement, of being in the right place at the right time, of, literally, having the stars align. There can be a philosophical bent, a gentle humor, an expansive sense of the human condition, a wide appeal.
Notable people with Jupiter in Pisces include Leonardo da Vinci, Anaïs Nin, Bing Crosby, George Orwell, Evelyn Waugh, Billie Holiday, Orson Welles, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Billy Strayhorn, Frank Sinatra, Edith Piaf, Sidney Poitier, Harry Belafonte, Gabriel García Márquez, Joyce Carol Oates, Diana Rigg, Terence Stamp, Rosalind Cash, Francis Ford Coppola, Margaret Atwood, Tina Turner, Paula Abdul, Jodie Foster, Prabal Gurung, Leonardo DiCaprio, Alanis Morissette, Drew Barrymore, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harrington, Eva Longoria, Lady Gaga, and Amanda Gorman.
Although Jupiter is almost always helpful in any chart, its beneficence is felt more strongly by those born during the day, as Jupiter is of the daytime sect (see more about using sect here), while Venus favors those with night charts. But, whatever the sect of a chart, Jupiter is generally more helpful than not. Even if placed in one of the traditional unfortunate houses (twelfth, sixth, eighth, and second), it can act as a protective amulet of sorts, providing aid at times when it’s most needed.
Jupiter’s sojourn through a given sign happens only every twelve years. The last time it was in Pisces was in 2010. Remembering back to that time period, and what transpired, can provide clues about the themes that may come up again this time, since it will be traversing through the same whole sign house of your chart and activating similar issues. (To generate a free birth chart, visit www.astro-seek.com. I recommend selecting Whole Sign Houses under Extended Settings.)
Locate the Pisces whole sign house of your chart to see where this expansion and beneficence will take place this spring-summer and next year. To get you started, here are some potential scenarios by rising sign. But keep in mind that every chart is unique, with many variables that can come into play, for better or worse.
Jupiter transiting in Pisces through the:
First house (Pisces rising) expands one’s identity or appearance (sometimes literally, as Jupiter can expand waistlines, especially in signs with a tendency to overdo things, like Pisces). There can be greater recognition for you and who you are, a feeling of coming back into the world after a period of exile.
Second house (Aquarius rising) speaks to an opportunity to expand your income or personal resources. You may find new sources of income or build up your personal resources during this time.
Third house (Capricorn rising) suggests expansion and good fortune in the realm of siblings (and those like siblings), early education, communication, local neighborhood, and the media. Alternately, a sibling could experience good fortune, as this house is one of the houses that can literally represent other people in our lives.
Fourth house (Sagittarius rising) offers blessings to your family of origin, parents and elders, and your home. An expansion or remodeling of the home or moving to a bigger house is often indicated.
Fifth house (Scorpio rising) provides an exhalation in the realm of children, romance, creativity, and recreation. A new baby, romance, creative project, or hobby may be gestating soon. Also favored: gambling and games of chance!
Sixth house (Libra rising) protects your health, offering an opportunity to take care of health matters and get on the right track physically. This house is one of the more difficult, indicating troubles of all sorts, so having Jupiter here is very helpful. This house also rules pets (especially small animals), so look out for potential new furry friends!
Seventh house (Virgo rising) provides striking opportunities for partnership — romantic or business. Alternatively, as is the case with the houses that can represent other people in our lives, a partner may experience good fortune or an expansion of some kind.
Eighth house (Leo rising) offers good fortune in one-time financial opportunities in the form of inheritances, grants, scholarships, royalties, creative fees, loans, mortgages, tax refunds, and other things involving other people’s money or resources, such as residency opportunities.
Ninth house (Cancer rising) offers support for higher or continuing education of all kinds, as well as international travel. There is a philosophical or religious element to this house (it rules astrology), so there can be an interest in studying religious or spiritual traditions, or going on a pilgrimage of some kind.
Tenth house (Gemini rising) expands career opportunities and visibility, inviting you into the limelight to demonstrate your accomplishments. This is a golden opportunity to pursue the career you want.
Eleventh house (Taurus rising) shines an expansive light on friends and communities. For people who interact with the public (artists, celebrities, athletes, etc.) this house also represents audiences and how they receive our work. With Jupiter here, it’s a great time to foster positive relationships with the public and build your community.
Twelfth house (Aires rising) provides hidden support in the darkest part of the chart, of misfortune, confinement, exile, and spiritual and mental crises. With Jupiter in his home sign here you have a powerful ally in any times of stress. Another interpretation can be the expansion of spiritual practice, particularly solitary ones, as in a traditional monastery setting, away from the world.
One thing to keep in mind, and always in relation to the idea that every chart is different, with unique gifts and challenges, one potential downside of Jupiter, particularly in one of its home signs, where it shows strength, is excess. Overdoing something, going too far, going overboard (a particularly apt metaphor for watery Pisces) are all possibilities with Jupiter, particularly if it interacts harshly in a chart with, say, Mars, who may be egging it on in an unhelpful way. But I almost hesitate to even bring up this subject, since we all need some unbridled optimism after the last year. Anyway, there’s your Jupiter in Pisces disclaimer PSA: enjoy, but don’t go off the deep end (another nautical phrase!).
And if Jupiter’s time in Pisces this spring and summer feels too short, more like a coming attraction than a full movie, don’t worry — Jupiter will return before long. But sadly, its stay in Pisces will be rather short, comparatively speaking, due to Jupiter’s ecliptic path. After going back to finish up its wonkish work in Aquarius for the rest of 2021, it will re-enter Pisces on December 28th, to stay until May 2022, when it will dip into Aires, offering bold optimistic beneficence through late-October 2022. Then, Jupiter will retrograde back into the late degrees of Pisces before turning back towards Aires, entering this Mars-ruled sign on December 20, 2022.
And then that’s it for Jupiter in Pisces, for about twelve years! So take advantage of this time to dream big, expand yourself, envision things you never dreamed of before, study something new, celebrate growth. Let yourself be inspired and contemplate what might be possible. Jupiter in Pisces never met an idea that was too big or ambitious. Saturn critiques, downsizes, and takes the wind out of things, which may be what ultimately turns dreams into reality. Obviously, we need both Jupiter and Saturn, ideally working together, in our lives. But without Jupiter’s big ideas and jolly optimism, no one would want to do anything in the first place. No one would want to get out of bed in the morning, actually.
Jupiter in Pisces, at what is hopefully the end of a wrenching pandemic, is a beautiful opportunity, a chance to grab onto the hem of the king of the gods and ride along with him for a balmy spell. Speaking of balmy spells, here, demonstrating Jupiter in Pisces’ light touch and winking humor, the wonderful Harry Belafonte on The Muppet Show: