Pisces is the sign of fairy dust. We can delight in it but we cannot hold it — not for long, at least. If we try, it slips through our fingers and we might wonder if it was ever there at all.

One of my favorite Pisces-esque memories is a moon-lit ferry ride, under an inky sky, to Fire island. As my friend and I exited the boat, live music beckoned. We danced and sang along to familiar tunes at an outdoor restaurant, under the bright full moon, surrounded by water, until the wee hours of the morning. Before calling it a night, we walked down the narrow car-less walking path that lead to the ocean to lay our eyes on the mysterious nighttime waves. It was magical. Every single detail — the timing, the moon, the outdoor music — came together, as if miraculously, to create a scene I hadn’t expected or imagined. If you try to repeat an event like this (and we did), you may be disappointed – it is a once in a lifetime type deal.

This is a glimpse of the upcoming New Moon in Pisces on Monday, February 20th at 2:05 am EST. When Pisces is “in the air” we experience something beyond our mundane reality. Pisces events or people show us other-worldly beauty (often through music or poetry or painting) and open us to experiences that border on the surreal. People with the sign of the fish strong in their natal charts often live, at least part time, in a fantasy land, and they may have trouble dwelling, being present, for too long in the harsh “real world,” especially if in their natal charts the earth and fire elements are lacking. This is where the addictive nature often associated with Pisces comes in … and, so, in the Pisces season we are now in, it is important to tune in (rather than out) and be present with our experiences, so that we can align with the pureness of Pisces. The magic of this sign comes from experiencing the fullness of each moment.

When I practice yoga, I do my best to move slowly and gracefully (with both ease and reverence) through the poses, staying in tune to each transition and motion … present for it all. I mention sometimes in my classes to pay attention to the “throw away” poses and moments — when I come to Tadasana/Mountain Pose, for example, I am tempted to check out, let my mind travel to my “to do” list and forget why I am on mat, but if I tune in during Mountain Pose, stay present and reverent, I receive the fullness of the moment and the Mountain, and I reconnect with my intention or dedication for my practice — that is, the bigger picture of of life. The spirituality Astrology associates with Pisces, stems from these quiet moments. Although we may not get to often experience the moon-lit ferry rides, we can create magic in this simple and pure way. The beauty of this is that it makes the moon-lit boat rides that much more enjoyable.

On the flip side of our watery friend, is nit-picky, red-pen marking Virgo. Yes, this practical and detail-focused way of life can feel like a “buzz kill” compared to the faraway, magical lands we have explored, but if we stray too far from reality, we begin to feel lost at sea, untethered and without direction.

With Neptune, one of Pisces’ Ruling Planets, plopped in my 1st house of self, I have often struggled with themes around identity and direction. You know that bumper sticker that says, “All that wander are not lost”? Contrary to the romantic notion that we can be free-spirited wanderlusts and still retain a sense of security and purpose, aimless wandering often causes a feeling of hopelessness and, even, fear (of course there are times of purposeful wandering and exploring, and that is different). The ego, or the part of the brain that is concerned with survival, does not like the feeling of being without clear direction and focus, and so it can be an extremely stressful state to dwell in — this in- between state that feels neither here nor there … and, yet, this is the mystery and magic we attribute to Pisces. At the heart of it, Pisces wants to teach us to accept the unknown and to trust our experiences (and ourselves), even and especially when we are having a hard time making sense of things or seeing clearly; if we can align with the present moment during these unclear periods, accept the form of things as they are, and trust that the path will reveal itself, in some form or another (perhaps not the form we originally hoped for), we may be surprised by the support we receive and the sense of purpose that eventually arises.

Pisces enables us to find the deeper meaning in our experiences.

With the nitty gritty effort of humble Virgo (Pisces’ counterpart), there is the potential during this Pisces Moon cycle to connect to and manifest your creative dreams, and to experience what might feel like a miracle.