Strange to say, they all recognized it at once, and until fear
fell upon them they hailed it, not as something long dreamt
of and seen at last, but as a familiar friend to whom they
were returning home for the holidays.
In the calm presence of Capricorn, the Piscean Fish often feel cozy and snugglysecure,rather like baby bears when they're tucked into their winter logs for a nap. It may seem odd to think of the Fish as a bear, but Capricorn's ruling planet,Saturn, has that effect on Pisces. Because they're ruled by the slippery, subtle,and elusive planet Neptune, Pisceans find the solid stability of Saturn so comforting, it makes them feel like baby bears - (or Mama or Papa bears).
Conversely, in the serene presence of Pisces, the Capricorn Goats often feel a light-hearted, floating sensation.... like bubbles, when they're released,shimmering, into the air. It may seem odd to think of the Goat as a bubble, but the Pisces ruling planet, Neptune, has that effect on Capricorn. Because they're ruled by the stern, demanding discipline of Saturn, the Goats find the dreamy,relaxed looseness of Neptune so fascinating and so full of the promise of freedom,it makes them feel like bubbles.
So, here they are, a Fish and a Goat, magically transformed by each other's proximity into a bear and a bubble. It's really quite beautiful, don't you think?All Pisces and Capricorn people should ponder the previous two paragraphs for a while, until they're permanently impressed by all the good things they can derive from their association, and realize the great value of the intangible, but precious,gifts they can exchange. The thought will bring them smoothly through the problem periods they'll experience, from time to time. But let's stay with their positive points of compatibility a bit longer, before deliberating on the dangers they must guard against.
There's often a marvelous serene sympatico inherent in this 3-11 Sun Sign Pattern, because it vibrates through the Earth and Water elements. Their association causes Capricorn's Earth essence to be greatly enriched, and the Piscean Water essence to find a secure place in which to flow. In these dual rewards, it's similar to the 3-11 Sun Sign Pattern influence of Earth and Water also experienced
by Pisces-Taurus, Taurus-Cancer, Cancer-Virgo, Virgo-Scorpio, and Scorpio-Capricorn.
Goats feel somehow safer with a Fish than with most Sun Signs, other than Scorpio, in kicking up their heels defiantly against the natural Capricorn restrictive behavior. Although the Goats also get along smoothly with Taurus and Virgo,they may feel considerably less inclined to kick over the traces with the Bulls and Virgins than with Pisces. Contrariwise, the Fish, somehow, feel more protected with a Goat than with most Sun Signs, other than Taurus, from life's harsh, abrasive experiences more courageous in overcoming the natural Piscean introverted behavior. Although the Fish also get along smoothly with Scorpio and Cancer, they may feel somewhat less protected, as well as less courageous,with the Scorpions and Crabs than with the Goat. In many ways,therefore, Capricorn and Pisces were made for each other. If one of them has a Moon Sign or Ascendent in conflict with the other, they'll sputter and spat back and forth occasionally. Otherwise, these two will be far happier and more harmonious together than uptight and tense.
Because Pisces and Capricorn feel alike and think alike about most major issues, their differences of opinion are relatively less frequent than their times of agreeable, almost effortless, cooperation and compromise. Even in those areas where they differ and disagree, they'll take turns carefully convincing each other to come around to the other side of whatever question caused the friction. Sometimes it's the Goat who manages to straighten out the confused or muddled thinking of the Fish; at other times, it's the Fish who manages to soften the Goat's firm stand. For example, if they should become involved in a discussion of controversial subjects like astrology and religion, they probably won't be able to avoid clashing in principle, because Cappy is so big on tradition and authority suspicious of the abstract - and less instinctively compassionate and perceptive than Pisces. In this case, it will usually be the Fish who gently turns around the Goat's wrong thinking - although on other subjects, an equal number of times, it's the Goat who determinedly switches the Fish's viewpoint to his (or her) own.
Actually, these two subjects are nearly certain to be debated at some time between the two of them, since Saturn is the defender of the status quo, and Neptune (along with Pluto) governs both astrology and religion. (Jupiter is involved chiefly with the philosophy of religion, Pluto with its mystery, Neptune with its mysticism.) Therefore, it's reasonable to suppose that this Saturn- and Neptune-influenced association will contain its share of disagreements in these departments, which Pisces will nearly always win.
PISCES: Don't you believe religion is failing people, by not giving them a sense of the continuation of individual consciousness?
CAPRICORN: What is that supposed to mean? Sometimes you get too abstract for me to follow. Why can't you speak in plain and simple terms an ordinary person can understand?
PISCES: I'll try. What I meant was that reincarnation, which is the foundation of astrology, is the real truth of existence, and all the churches have removed this wisdom from their teachings. That's as plain and simple as I can say it.
CAPRICORN: Reincarnation? I won't even discuss it with you. It's too ridiculous to even be considered.
PISCES: (only pretending to back down - sneaky Neptune!) All right. We can always discuss reincarnation some other time, and when we do,I'll tell you some things I'm sure will change your mind, but right now let's just talk about religion and astrology.
CAPRICORN: That's almost as bad. Astrology. Maybe even worse.
PISCES: (ignoring Cappy, as though he - or she - hadn't heard) Do you know that nearly every religious faith teaches that astrology is a sin, and won't permit their members to even investigate i t ?
CAPRICORN: They're certainly justified in taking that position, if you ask me,considering all the quackery associated with it. I don't blame them.Astrology has such a bad name, the Catholic Church requires formal confession from Catholics who have been contaminated by having anything to do with it, before they're allowed to take communion.
PISCES: Every art and science has quackery associated with it, not just astrology,so that doesn't prove anything, either way. But I'm glad you mentioned communion. That's the ritual of swallowing a wafer symbolizing the body and blood of a simple carpenter - who was himself an astrologer - as were his teachers, the Essenes, where he spent the eighteen "lost years" of his life, which were conveniently removed from the scriptures.
CAPRICORN: HOW could someone like Jesus have practiced astrology, when the Catholic Church, and every other faith, has defined it as a dangerous belief in the control of stars and planets over human destiny?
PISCES: (smiling softly) I see. So only church dogma should be allowed to control human destiny? You probably don't realize that the Church Fathers themselves are well aware that the purpose of studying astrology is just the opposite - to teach us that the only way to escape the control of the stars is by understanding their powerful influence, so we can then use our own free choice to guide our own destinies. A knowledge of astrology releases us from planetary control - but it also releases us from church dogma's moral dictatorship, and that's the real reason the definition of astrology
has been deliberately distorted and maligned.
CAPRICORN: The trouble is, you're just anti-Catholic. You're prejudiced against Protestant denominations too.
PISCES: (softly, not antagonistically) Not at all. The Catholics and Protestants aren't the only ones who cause their followers to believe untrue things about astrology - or who suppress the facts. Judaism has also denied its own roots in the Hebrew Qabbalah, which is one of the deepest sources of both astrological and numerological wisdom. And the Mormon church calls astrology "the work of the devil."
CAPRICORN: You just lost the argument. All those Mormons are so polite and neat and well scrubbed - decent, law-abiding people. They believe in the sanctity of the family, and so do I.
PISCES: (again smiling gently) Outside appearances are sometimes deceptive.Is being clean-shaven, then, a necessity for illumination and salvation? That removes Lincoln, Moses, Jesus, the Apostles, and countless others from the list of the virtuous. You're right about the Mormon reverence for the family circle, but did you know that their founder, Joseph Smith, claimed he had a vision which told
him that all religions other than the Mormon religion are "an abomination" to the Lord? Now Cappy is silent - and the Fish calmly continues.
PISCES: Only since 1978 has the Mormon church allowed blacks to be priests. Before that, the Mormons taught that "Africans are unworthy," their darker skin tones a sign of God's disfavor.
CAPRICORN: Well, at least they finally admitted their mistakes.
PISCES: Yes, they did. One of them, at least. Mormon President Spencer Kimball has taken many great strides toward truth and tolerance.Still, even he currently states firmly that it's "absolutely impossible" for women to ever be permitted to teach or preach in the church. But I believe he's trying .. and someday that belief will be softened too. There are many good and positive things about Mormonism. Many more than the negative attitudes. Most of their principles are sound and sensible.
CAPRICORN: Listen .. I've decided you aren't prejudiced after all. Tell me some more about astrology and reincarnation.
And Pisces wins the discussion, as he or she almost always does. The Fish made a solid impression on the Goat's normally inflexible mind by exhibiting the typical Neptune tolerance and compassion - by refraining from an offensive or emotional attack - and especially by winding up the talk between them with the words "sound" and "sensible" (two of Cappy's all-time favorite words, that bring to the Saturn-ruled a subconscious sense of security). It takes patience to bring the stubborn Goat to a change of views, but Pisces is endowed with lots of patience, plus an ample supply of the persuasive charm and gentleness necessary to move an Earth Sign from a long-held conviction.
There's no doubt that the Neptune Fish of either sex and any age tends to procrastinate and to be, at times, too flexible. This sort of attitude will deeply disturb the typical Goat, who almost never procrastinates on either minor or major matters, and is frequently too inflexible. It's easy for an outsider to see how they'd both benefit from each adopting part of the other's nature, yet it's not so easy for Pisces and Capricorn to realize the obvious. If the Piscean is the rare Whale-type man or woman, he (or she) could overpower the Goat, until Capricorn frantically feels the panic of one who can't swim, going under for the last time, unable to cope with being in such elusive, changeable territory as the Goat has been deceived into entering by the Whale Piscean, with nothing solid to cling to, and no foothold in s i g h t . . . nothing underneath but treacherous quicksand.
But if the Fish is a typical Piscean, the danger is different. Then there's always the possibility that the stronger Goat will so control and dominate the Neptune person that the Piscean becomes only a shadow of Capricorn, suffering silently from a frightening loss of personal identity. A frightened Fish can turnto lying, drugs, or alcohol... or simply disappear, quietly, without a word of warning . . . because the Neptune-ruled will eventually escape imprisonment of the spirit, one way or the other. It's inevitable. And none of the possible escape routes are pleasant or desirable.
But these are the extremes of unfortunate Neptune-Saturn associations,which occur only when other planetary positions between the natal charts are negative. Far more often, Pisces and Cappy become lasting friends (especially if their Luminaries were harmonious at birth), whether they're classmates, lovers,neighbors, coworkers, or relatives. They're alike in many more ways than they're different and even in those ways that they're not alike, their differences usually complement each other nicely. Normally, they'll enjoy the same music and laugh at the same jokes. Cappy's humor is subtle and gentle, and nearly always brings a smile to the expressive features of the Fish.
"Do you know what a Naptune i s ? " asks the Goat."You mean Neptune, don't you?" politely corrects the Fish."No, I mean N-a-p-t-u-n-e," repeats the Goat. "What is a Naptune?""I give up," sighs Pisces. "What's a Naptune?"
Capricorn grins shyly. "A Nap-tune is a Pisces lullaby." Suddenly, the magic sparkles between them again, as the Fish becomes a bear - and the Goat becomes a bubble - each of them once more snug and serene. Let's leave them there, shall we? Crowds make both Cappy and Pisces nervous. They're more comfortable with a few close friends, and a quiet dinner at home.
