The sign that the Sun was in at birth is usually the single most important influ-
ence on a native’s personality. Thus, when people say they are a certain sign, they are
almost always referring to their sun sign. There is a wealth of information available on
the characteristics of the zodiacal signs—so much that one book would not be able to
contain it all. Sun-sign astrology, which is the kind of astrology found in newspaper
columns and popular magazines, has the advantage of simplicity. But this simplicity is
purchased at the price of ignoring other astrological influences, such as one’s Moon
sign, rising sign, etc. These other influences can substantially modify a person’s basic
sun sign traits. As a consequence, it is the rare individual who is completely typical of
her or his sign. The reader should bear this caveat in mind when perusing the follow-
ing series of sun-sign interpretations.
One traditional way in which astrologers condense information is by summariz-
ing sign and planet traits in lists of words and short phrases called keywords or key phras-
es. The following Pisces keywords are drawn from Manly P. Hall’s Astrological Keywords:
Emotional keywords:“The emotions are inhibited, native is sensitive
and impressionable, psychic, devoted, melancholy, lacks ability to resist
environment, secretive, misunderstood.”THEASTROLOGYBOOK [525]
PiscesAn engraving of the constellation Pisces by Montignot, 1786. Reproduced by permission of
Fortean Picture Library.