By Amanda Painter

Generally speaking, our culture has difficulty recognizing what truly feeds and nourishes it. From reality TV shows to fast food, from misogynistic song lyrics to obsessions with brand-name fashions and technology, it can be hard to discern ‘nourishment’ from ‘filler, or ‘enrichment’ from ‘distraction’.

Winter ripples on the Mill Pond. Photo by Amanda Painter.

Underlying all of it is a world of hurt that many people would just as soon escape rather than address.

Look deeper still, and you might find the kernel of fantastic creativity and loving connection we are all born with, but which all too often we’ve pushed away or numbed. That numbing can come in the form of drugs and alcohol, or over-working and over-scheduling, or some vague denial of purpose and desire to be ‘entertained’, and so on.

Yet, there are ways to recognize what’s going on and begin to shift direction. The process might seem intimidating at first; all change, even positive and desired change, can feel daunting. But if the desire is to feel better — more whole, more creative, healthier — and to know that you’re contributing to the common good by doing so, what’s a little discomfort at first?

Think of it as some sore muscles when you first start running. Or, more apropos of the Sun’s ingress to Pisces Friday at 12:34 am EST (5:34 UTC), the kind of paintings or songs that serve as ‘creative growing pains’ when you first begin painting or writing music.

In the context of the Pisces theme of ‘beliefs’, think of these growing pains as the cognitive dissonance people often encounter when their negative, limiting feelings about themselves get challenged by the mirroring of a therapist. Those early sessions can be rough when someone calls you out on beliefs about yourself that contribute to low self-worth. But as you stick with the self-inquiry and healing, the fear and discomfort around challenging your inner reality loses its power, and the liberation of feeling better gains strength.

The first exact aspect the Pisces Sun makes to a relatively major solar system object is its conjunction to the centaur Nessus very early in the sign. Sun-Nessus is exact Sunday at 6:06 pm EST (23:06 UTC), but is in effect already.

Centaur objects tend to deal with patterns in our lives that have roots in the past (especially familial or ancestral past). When they feature prominently in transits or in natal charts, they often signify an opportunity to engage in healing of some sort through increased awareness of what needs to be healed.

Nessus, in particular, carries the key phrase, “the buck stops here” — meaning that you, in your emerging awareness of what Nessus represents in a situation, have the power to stop a particular pattern. You get to be the one to decide that, “enough is enough,” and not perpetuate something unhealthy you’ve inherited.

Anytime the Sun is conjunct a planet or other object, it’s a signal that your awareness of that planet’s themes in your life may peak. Yet, you have to be willing to hear the message. Especially in the sign Pisces, co-ruled by Neptune as it is (Jupiter is the traditional ruler), the urge to escape, rather than to engage, can be strong. Try asking yourself whether anything regarding your creativity, emotions, passion, sexuality or spirituality seems to be asking for your attention.

The written readings for all 12 signs of Vision Quest are available for instant access, and so are the audio astrology and rune readings! Order all 12 signs here, or select individual signs here.

If you’re not sure, a second conjunction in Pisces happening simultaneously with Sun-Nessus might offer a point of orientation. At 4:30 am EST (9:30 UTC), the asteroid Ceres conjoins Neptune.

Planets tend to come under Neptune’s influence long before an exact contact with it, so Ceres-Neptune has probably been giving you hints for a while (though activity elsewhere — both in your life and in the sky — might have commanded more attention).

Ceres in mythology and in ancient life was a complex goddess, and I hate to render her one-dimensional. But looking at the chart, this asteroid’s association with figurative forms of nourishment (i.e., not literal food) comes through strongly. As does Neptune’s potential either to lend great creative vision, or to cloud things behind denial, delusion and various forms of escape.

So, ask yourself what visions truly nourish you. Is it really whatever the latest blockbuster action movie or women’s magazine is serving up; or is it when you imagine yourself feeling emotionally, physically and spiritually healthy (and that includes sexually)? Are you metaphorically swimming in a sea of distractions, or can you clearly discern what has nutritional (creative) value much of the time?

Does a vision of yourself serving the highest good in your community and the wider world feed your heart and soul? If so, the Sun’s coming month in Pisces will likely offer variations on that theme. Keep swimming, and keep your eyes open.