Pneumatised!

Note for the beginner astrologer, you may need to read up on transits first and review how to interpret your natal horoscope to understand this blog entry.

Pluto square natal Pluto occurs earlier than many astrologers thought it would. In some of the older astrological texts, it is written that Pluto won’t square your natal Pluto until at least age 40. In another, it says the earliest is age 36. Well, my generation got those astrologers beat, as Pluto squared my natal Pluto when I was 32. (Astrologers are supposedly stargazers, but I’ve often thought some didn’t spend much time with astronomy. If they did, perhaps they could have predicted this early Pluto square natal Pluto.)

Pluto is currently at 29 degrees 5 minutes Sagittarius, retrograding to 28 degrees 30 minutes on September 29th this year then moving direct again. Additionally, Pluto and Neptune have been in sextile aspect since approximately 1940. Anyone born after that time will already have a Neptune-Pluto sextile in their natal horoscopes, indicating a near universal attraction to spiritual pursuits and matters of the subconscious and unconscious mind. If you were born between 1970 and 1974, you may be feeling the effects of Pluto making a square transit to your natal Pluto, also reinforcing the Neptune-Pluto sextile since this aspect is still a transiting one. In your natal chart, this means that you would have Pluto located in late Virgo to early Libra. As Pluto is currently in retrograde motion until September 29th this year, this means that the Pluto square should affect those with a natal Pluto at about 24 or 25 degrees Virgo (assuming an orb of four or five degrees for the transiting influence). For those readers who don’t know anything about their horoscope, you may get your horoscope done at www.astro.com for free and quickly look to see what degree and sign Pluto is in. Those with natal Pluto in late Virgo should be feeling the final effects of the transiting Pluto square as Pluto retrogrades and then moves direct later this autumn. For those with natal Pluto in early Libra, the effects of the transiting Pluto square are just getting started. The full effects of any transiting planetary aspect to your chart occurs when the transiting planet makes an exact aspect. The duration of this transiting Pluto aspect is roughly six years give or take a few depending on whether or not Pluto has a few more retrograde cycles. The six-year estimate I’m giving here for this transit is based on my personal chart, which shows that transiting Pluto will be square my natal Pluto for at least another three or four years (depending on the orb you are assuming for the transiting effects – I think my astrology program has set the orb for squares at 7 degrees). According to my astrology program, the Pluto square my natal Pluto started near the beginning of 2006.

What does this mean though? Pluto in the horoscope represents long-term changes, it deals with the subconscious and the unconscious mind, and it also relates to power and control. Pluto’s location in the natal horoscope shows how a person deals with change, how they view power and control, and the nature of their subconscious and unconscious mind. As I mentioned, everyone born since approximately 1940, already has a Neptune-Pluto sextile indicating a near universal attraction to spiritual pursuits and matters of the subconscious and unconscious mind. How someone deals with this natal aspect depends on if the Neptune-Pluto sextile is aspected by any of the faster-moving planets (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – also considered the traditional astrological planets). Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are slow-moving planets, which is why the influences of these planets or aspects between them are considered to be generational influences.

Having established what Pluto means in your chart, the transiting Pluto making a square to your natal Pluto means that changes will be occurring during this time and you will be inclined to some inner-soul searching. What kind of changes and how you deal with them depends again on other factors in your chart, notably whether or not the transiting Pluto and accompanying Neptune sextile are aspected by any of the faster-moving planets. Some astrologers may also feel that the Pluto square your natal Pluto has no effect unless there is an aspect to any of the faster-moving planets. I am of the opinion that it affects you regardless, but that any aspects to any of the faster-moving planets will indicate how you should deal with the Pluto square natal Pluto and the reinforcing of the Neptune-Pluto sextile.

Using my own personal horoscope to illustrate, my natal chart has the generational Neptune-Pluto sextile, but this sextile is influenced by Jupiter making a trine to Pluto and a sextile to Neptune. Jupiter in my chart is in Aquarius and in Jupiter’s own house, the 9th. This very likely indicates my interest in occult philosophy and studies. Because we are dealing with Pluto making a tough transit to my natal Pluto, let’s see if there are an easy aspects in my natal chart. There is one, Neptune sextile the Sun. This would give my core personality a little bit of a dreamy quality, make me somewhat drawn to fantastical ideas. For me, this actually makes me love watching fantasy or sci-fi movies or shows. So, this is one way of coping with the Pluto square my natal Pluto. Compounding this is the Neptune-Pluto sextile because Neptune as it turns out is transiting my Midheaven (MC). In fact, it has passed my MC and then went retrograde. It’s going to retrograde and cross backwards over my MC on my birthday. (Eek!) I’ve managed to determine that Neptune’s transit has affected my career and life goals. In fact, this transit makes someone who was sure about their life path start to question everything. It may also bring to light any false spiritual teachers. Funny enough, I decided to drop my spiritual studies at a church (not that my teacher was “false” in any way, it just wasn’t for me) and I have just gone through some major changes in my life, but it is most notable that my spiritual life has changed (aside from doing things with my boyfriend, I’m pretty much a solitary pagan again). Because Neptune was causing so much uncertainty and casting some illusions in my natal horoscope and because I happen to like fantasy and sci-fi, as it turned out, I was happiest during this Pluto transit watching sci-fi shows and various movies that pulled me into a different world than this. Granted, continual escapism isn’t a good thing. All things in moderation right? Luckily for me, I was able to draw on my natal Saturn to help me through this transit too. In my natal chart, Saturn and Pluto are square to each other. This helps me deal with change responsibly. Pluto means change and Saturn means responsible. Saturn is also in my first house, which indicates that at the core, I’m quite responsible. Thus, I wouldn’t be caught in continual escapism. I would always deal with reality, but of course, on my own terms. Because of all the changes going on in my life and that I wanted to take responsibility for my life, I went through old notes and papers, and boxes of stuff that needed to be sorted through for a while now. There was a lot that was no longer needed or useful to me because of my life changes. In the end, I must have recycled 30 plus reams of paper. I also put some things away and re-organized some of my personal keepsakes. (I really need a nice chest for this stuff.) I have to say having done all this has helped me move on with the changes that have happened so far in my life. Magically speaking the physical clearing out of outdated, needless stuff helps clear things out mentally and spiritually. I felt afterwards that I was more able to concentrate and work on the things I needed to work on now. I should also note that Pluto is recently trine to my natal Mars, which explains why I would feel it is easier to take action now to help facilitate any changes needed.

Having looked at how the Pluto and Neptune transits affects your natal horoscope, you should also look at all the transits occurring. Some days I noticed it was easier to leave my “bubble” because the moon was making positive aspects to my natal horoscope that would offset the effects of the Pluto square natal Pluto and the Neptune on my MC. The moon transits really do make a difference. Pleasant Venus transits to your natal chart will help you deal with others, and easy Mercury transits will help you communicate during this Pluto transit.

So, if you’re going through this Pluto square natal Pluto thing, don’t despair, just hold on and be patient. Sometimes change is for the better. If you have to deal with other people on a day-to-day basis, let them know to be patient with you and that you may be going through a rough time (depending on whether or not this transit affects your fast-moving planets in your natal horoscope, but you don’t have to tell them that). Look carefully at your natal chart and see if there are ways to deal with the effects of Pluto in a pleasant way.

I hope this has helped clear up any anxieties about this Pluto transit. “The only constant is change.”

~~~C