Altered states and role playing games: Your guide to Pisces season in Brooklyn

By Paula Henderson

Have you ever snuck out of a party you were at with a group of friends and disappeared solo into the night to have your own mysterious adventure? That’s what the Sun did February 19, slipping from the animated brainstorming of Aquarius to the introspective sign of Pisces for a quieter time. Pisces is the watery sign of the Zodiac under which our focus becomes softened and we can tune into vibrations and take our cues from the wellspring of the collective unconscious. The urge to do so finds us reaching for whatever means necessary — intoxicants, dreamwork, meditation, simply getting lost in music or being moved by ethereal works of art and poetry we can’t physically hold. Succumbing to the imagined and reframing dreams, fantasies and illusions to make them the arbiters of reality.

Try some role playing
I venture to suggest that the kind of rich fantasy life I associate with Pisces, the 12th sign of the Zodiac, is something gamers prize highly year round. I just last year got an inkling of what Dungeons & Dragons players do, and what I gleaned is that with the help of a game master, they create an alternate reality for themselves which they inhabit as a central character, also of their own imagination. I just might this Pisces season try visiting one of Brooklyn’s several Dungeons & Dragons hubs as part of my experiential astrology practice for the month, in which I set out to do things that reflect the themes of the Zodiac.

Last Place on Earth is a toss of the 12-sided die from McCarren Park, is a one-stop wonderland for the imaginationland curious or the seasoned D&D pros, regardless of real world demographics. With clubs and sessions for adults, tweens & kids, ladies & queer folk on the menu you can choose your tribe with whom to try it on. Other gamer spots worth checking out include Brooklyn Game Knight in Industry City and the Brooklyn Strategist on Court Street.

The Deliberate Myth offers private and after school Dungeons & Dragons sessions for kids & adults in Kensington, Cobble Hill, Park & South Slope, Windsor Terrace, Gowanus and the Greater New York area. The Deliberate Myth game masters will guide participants through collaboratively created scenarios in which the only thing that determines success or failure is “your own creativity.” Similarly, in Park Slope, Brooklyn Game Lab offers after school, weekend, holiday and other year ‘round opportunities for young gamers.

Get altered
Creativity is of course enhanced under a Pisces sun by the use of intoxicants as are illusions and magic, and Bushwick’s Company XIV presents, in a cosmically timely manner, Cocktail Magique, a variety show of intoxicating illusions. Billed as a phantasmagoria of miracles during which attendees are served a tantalizing selection of petite cocktails and small bites to enjoy during the show, you can further ignite your cocktail infused fantasies as burlesque stars pour additional libations at the walk up speakeasy bar. Matinees and soirees are available throughout Pisces season.

If cannabis is more your speed and you think gummies are for kids, head over to Urban Asanas in Crown Heights where you can savor an Elevated Dinner in a fine dining setting on Friday March 1 from 7 to 10 p.m. Here you can immerse yourself in a mutl-course fine dining event that celebrates the art of cannabis-infused cuisine, promising an unforgettable evening. From appetizers to desserts and drinks, every dish and beverage is thoughtfully prepared with the option of infusing your food to your preference. The Elevated Dinner is hosted and curated by Angie’s Love Kitchen of Crown Heights and space is limited, so register ahead of time.

Dabble in the dark arts
If you or you date(s) are underage, or you simply like to take your magic straight, head to Brooklyn Magic Shop in Cobble Hill, where you can attend a Family Magic Show at 2 p.m. on any Sunday afternoon during Pisces season (except March 3) and experience all the classic tropes of a magic show filled with oohs and ahs, audience participation and illusion. These shows welcome audience members 5 and older and there are just 20 tickets available per performance. For those who’ve always fancied waving a wand themselves, pulling a rabbit from a hat or creating the illusion of chopping an assistant in half, only to have them emerge whole from behind the scenes to a collective sigh of relief, sign up to take a magic class, either privately or as part of an ongoing group series.

Get lyrical
Pisces is the most poetic sign of the Zodiac and it’s a great time of the year to tap into your inner poet, put pen to page and perhaps step up to an open mic or simply open your heart to listening to a poetry reading. Brooklyn has a rich culture of poetry at any time, but this Pisces season check out the many events on offer at Brooklyn Poets on Montague in Brooklyn Heights. If you dream of cultivating the ancient craft of poetry, there are various classes and workshops on offer, depending on your individual needs and desire for commitment. There are weekly reading groups and weekly writing groups to join, and you can go to the highly touted monthly Brooklyn Poets Yawp on Monday March 11 at 6 p,m, hosted this Pisces season by Rachelle Toarmino.

If you are looking to soak up some poetic vibes without picking up the pen or stepping up to the mic, InspiredWordNYC presents The Poetry Hour at Brooklyn Music Kitchen at 2 p.m. Sunday March 10 in the heart of Clinton Hill, featuring recitals by Sameer Ranade, a.k.a. The Climate Change Prophet, activist Reuben Argueta and Jay Lumi, author of two poetry books. Brooklyn Music Kitchen also hosts open mic sessions every Monday evening presented by InspiredWordNYC.

On a personal note
What I’m excited about this Pisces season is being back in Brooklyn after an international trip and having my booking calendar open for astrology readings in Brooklyn and online. I’m back to playing baritone sax with Reverend Vince Anderson & His Love Choir every Monday night at Union Pool in Williamsburg where you can join us from 9 p.m. on and swim Pisces-wise in a sea of deeply felt music, spirituality and altered states. In the meantime, I hope you’ll join me in listening to my expanded Hazy Days of Pisces Zodiac Soundtrack. And as always, if you have an Pisces seasons in Brooklyn related questions, please feel free to drop them in my mailbag, and I”ll answer them in my Instagram Stories.