It’s a fascinating and rare synchronicity that Jupiter and Neptune will each transit into the constellation of Pisces in the same time period in April 2022: Jupiter on April 13, and Neptune a few days later on April 17-18. Their conjunction in the same sign occurs approximately every twelve years, but it is not usually near the ingress (entry into a new sign). The last time they were together in Aquarius was in 1856, and in Pisces in 1869.
Generally, and depending on the sign where they meet, the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction can embody an idealistic, spiritual, creative, generous, and sympathetic spirit. It may indicate a powerful desire for justice, to the point of being willing to make personal sacrifices for an ideological cause. Substance abuse issues may also be indicated, along with a weak will or impractical nature in some instances.
Jupiter is the traditional ruler of Pisces, whereas Neptune is the modern ruler, so the Piscean quality of their merging is exponential. It brings a significant emphasis on all things Pisces, the sign represented by two fishes swimming in opposite directions, which are emblematic of the inherent duality of material creation.
The higher expression of Pisces, when connected to and in harmony with the divine Source of spirituality, can reveal great spiritual awareness, creative achievement, and compassionate action. But when disconnected, in its lower expression, Pisces has a tendency for escapism, deception, and delusion.
The more challenging areas of life falling under Pisces, according to mundane astrology, include the following: treachery, espionage, fraud, theft, imprisonment, crime and criminals, secret plots, online hackers and hacking, smuggling, conspiracies, charlatans, scammers, secret societies, drug and alcohol addiction, poisons and poisoning, suicide, and mental illness; delusions and fanaticism; genetically transmitted health problems, heart disease, and lymphatic illnesses.
Other areas of life falling under Pisces according to mundane astrology include the following: boats/submarines/maritime industry, fishing industry, deep sea technology, dealers in all kinds of fluids including petroleum/oil industries, all occupations associated with water and liquids; oceans and all waterways, places under water, wetlands, floods, and the navy; charitable institutions, antiwar organizations; orphanages, zoos, ghettos, slums, welfare agencies; religious groups/churches, convents, cults, spiritual healing, occultism, clairvoyance, astral entities and exorcisms, monasteries, ashrams, spas, retreats; hydraulic machinery, detectives, chemicals and medicines, virtual reality; and the entertainment industry.
Jupiter’s orbital period is 11.9 years. It transited in its own sign of Pisces the last time in 2010-11. Before that it was 1998-1999; 1987-1988; 1975-1977; and 1963-1964; and so on. Depending on the rest of the astrological chart, whether mundane or natal, as to its house rulerships and placements, aspects to it, etc., it can also manifest in a higher or a lower expression, or somewhere in between. On the more constructive side, Jupiter in Pisces can represent well-developed finances, happy family life, good education, compassionate nature, high spirituality, strong intuition, and healing abilities. Less positive manifestations can be unrealistic, grandiose, arrogant, naïve, immoderate, or lethargic. Health imbalances can be related to over-indulgence and indolence.
Jupiter will remain in Pisces for about one year, until April 22, 2023. Neptune will be close to Jupiter via conjunction using an effective 3-degree orb from March 27 (in late Aquarius), until April 27 (in early Pisces). The conjunction at their simultaneous ingress into Pisces sets the stage for the whole year cycle of Jupiter in Pisces, and for the whole 14-year cycle of Neptune in Pisces. The exact conjunction will occur at 29 degrees 48 minutes Aquarius, right on the cusp between Aquarius and Pisces, on April 12, 2022 (*using Lahiri ayanamsa). This 29th degree is called the anaretic degree, “that which destroys form,” and it is also known as the degree of fate. The coming together of Jupiter and Neptune at this zodiacal point signifies that humanity is “at the end of our rope” in some way, and that there is a great need to destroy certain old paradigms and to birth a new world of peace, unity, and freedom.
How to describe this conjunction of Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces? I would suggest that it points to the possibility for some brilliant new discoveries in the fields of spirituality, philosophy, science, medicine, art, and music. I only have a few birth charts in my database of thousands that have this combination. One of them is Alexandra David-Neel, whom I mentioned in my previous article about Neptune in Pisces (born in 1868). Some adjectives that I would use to describe her include “spiritual, mystical, musical, artistic, scholarly, adventurous, visionary, independent, original, free, and bold.”
Another fascinating person in my database with Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces is F. Matthias Alexander (born in 1869 in Australia but lived most his life in England), who was an actor and author who developed the Alexander Technique, an educational process that recognizes and overcomes reactive, habitual limitations in movement and thinking. His groundbreaking work was at the advent of mind-body healing.
Regarding the Jupiter transit in Pisces, I don’t by any means think it represents an end to our world’s terrible troubles as some other astrologers have suggested simply based on its being in dignity in Pisces (own sign). JFK was assassinated during the concurrent transit of Jupiter in Pisces and Saturn in Capricorn in 1963, which we will have coming up and on and off through 2022 into late Jan. 2023.
In this case, Saturn is the ruler of the US chart’s Aquarius Moon, and is weakened by its position in the Capricorn transit/12th from the Moon, where it has been for the past two+ years. Jupiter in Pisces will not able to give a fully positive effect while Saturn remains in Capricorn/12th from the Moon in Aquarius, because Saturn in the 12th obstructs what would normally be a beneficial placement for Jupiter in the 2nd house from the Moon. This is according to the Vedic astrology principle of gochara vedha.
Once Saturn enters Aquarius, where it will be from late April into July, 2022, and then again from late Jan. 2023 on, it should improve somewhat as Saturn-Jupiter will be semi-sextile (2/12), indicating some positive new potential for our collective evolution.
As mentioned, Jupiter will be conjoined Neptune at the time of its entry into Pisces; so in my opinion, this conditions the entire transit of Jupiter. It has some constructive qualities and some difficult qualities, as with everything in duality. They will conjoin in late Aquarius and early Pisces in Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra, which extends from 20 degrees sidereal Aquarius to 3 degrees and 20 min. sidereal Pisces.
This extremely passionate “warrior star” is also known to have fanatical and inflammatory tendencies, in some instances. One less positive manifestation of this conjunction, which will play out through 2022 into the first quarter of 2023, could be the trend for apocalyptic thinking and other kinds of extreme conspiracy theories, as this is the asterism that rules over such matters.
Purva Bhadrapada nakshatra is symbolized by a two-faced man, again the dichotomous theme, as with Pisces. Often, this Jekyll-Hyde character is portrayed as looking backward and forward at the same time, like the two fishes swimming in opposite directions which are symbolic of the shadow play within Maya, the “magic show” of relativity and duality in which we live.
Another symbol of Purva Bhadrapada is a sword that cuts ties with the past, and it’s also part of what’s known as the “Scorching Pair,” along with the succeeding nakshatra of Uttara Bhadrapada. This seems to point to the ongoing religious, cultural, and technological revolution we are in, which includes the transformation of many of our most traditional values and mores. There is danger of our emotions getting in the way of logic with this placement; for instance, radical “social-justice” and religious movements could dominate the scene.
The previous time Jupiter and Neptune were together in the last degrees of Aquarius and beginning part of Pisces was in 1856 around the time of the Treaty of Paris at the end of the Crimean War between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, Great Britain, the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia.
The treaty, signed on March 30, 1856 at the Congress of Paris, created a neutral zone in the Black Sea, closing it to all warships, defenses, and armaments.
The Treaty of Paris diminished Russian influence in the region. Conditions for the return of Sevastopol and other parts of Crimea to Russia were harsh, as no naval or military arsenal could be established by Russia on the coast of the Black Sea. This marked an end to existing alliances in Eurasia, so it’s interesting in light of the new global political and economic order that is being repositioned now in Eurasia. I address this topic further in my Ukraine article.