by Lynn Hayes
Today is the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, but it’s also the day that Pluto changes direction. Planets don’t really move backwards, but they appear to do so because we observe their motions from our vantage point here on earth. When they do, we call that “retrograde motion” and Pluto has been retrograde since early April of this year.
Pluto was the god of the Underworld, and he takes that role astrologically as well. He brings us into the realm of the subconscious, the dark and frightening, the secret rage and desire and shadowy obsessions that lurk beneath the Sun of the conscious Self. But Pluto has another role as well: aligning our intentions and our Will with our higher self. He is a god, after all.
Our fear of Pluto correlates with our concept of the Underworld. Some writers call Pluto the “Lord of Hell.” But the Underworld that Pluto presided over was not a hellish place. The dead and the living commingled there and communicated with each other. In addition, Pluto had another role in Roman mythology – he was also the god of wealth that came in the form of gold, silver, and other treasures that were mined from beneath the surface of the Earth. So we have a correlation here of gifts and divine treasures that are provided by Pluto when we have the courage to enter the Underworld.
Pluto transits can be hell, and they can also be divine experiences of the empowerment of the soul. For at its core, Pluto is the god of ultimate Power. Where Mars rules war, Pluto rules nuclear war. But while Pluto’s power is destructive, it is also the power of the Soul to transform us in an alchemical process that burns off anything which is holding us back so that we can begin anew.
I won’t repeat the astrology of the September 11 attacks here, you can
read about that in my earlier article. Suffice it to say, though, that Pluto was exactly conjunct the Ascendant of the US astrological chart, signifying a total transformation (Pluto) of the identity of the nation (Ascendant).
Geeky astrological detail: I use the Sagittarius rising “Sibley” chart for the US, for reasons explained elsewhere and it is certainly supported by the astrology of September 11. Pluto was also in opposition formation to Saturn at the time and a faceoff between the Lord of Karma (Saturn) and the Lord of Death (Pluto) is rarely pleasant.
When Pluto travels retrograde, which it does every year along with the other two outer planets Uranus and Neptune, it can be difficult to get things moving. Retrograde planets turn our attention backwards – it’s more about going over old ground than starting something new. Now that Pluto will be heading in the right direction again we are likely to start seeing some progress both in our personal lives and in the structures of government that have been affected so greatly by Pluto’s shift into Capricorn.
For me personally this station of Pluto (as Pluto prepares to turn direct it slows down to a crawl and almost stops) has been particularly intense because it is sitting right on my Capricorn Mars.
I wrote about this last spring when Pluto made its second of what was to be a total of four hits to my Mars. During the third phase, I ended up in the emergency room in Sedona with severe abdominal pain (Mars is tied to the solar plexus and Pluto was rooting out a lot of old issues). But I also got the Beliefnet gig at that time which has expanded my reach and visibility, empowering me in my work. This is what Pluto really wants – to empower us at the highest level.
I confess I looked forward to this Pluto station at zero degrees, exactly on my Mars, with trepidation. I planned a light client week and plenty of time at home for yoga and meditation. But apart from experiencing a deep and intense energy that is keeping me awake, I haven’t experienced any life challenges or physical problems so I suspect I’m in the clear now.
Which leads me to my final point, which is that planetary transits do not always bring about the same result which is why we can’t predict the future with any specificity. The experience of the final phase of a transit cycle depends upon what happens in the first phases, and how well we are integrating the experience of that planet. Pluto wants us to be empowered and fully connected to our higher self. If we’re not, we might get creamed. If we’re holding back from expressing our power fully, or locked in fear (which we hold in our solar plexus), then like me last summer, we may end up in the emergency room with abdominal pain.
I’ll end this rather long post with my favorite Pluto comparison. Years ago when I lived in Colorado we used to go tubing in the white water creeks. I am not good at surrendering now and I was even worse then, so when the fast-moving water started carrying me in the tube I reached out to try to hold onto the brush that lined the bank of the creek. I soon realized that every time I tried to hold on I would get smashed against the rocks, but if I just let go the current of the creek took me through the path of least resistance and I had a marvelous time. Pluto transits are exactly like this. There’s no way to control them, we can only relax and enjoy the ride and trust that we are being carried in exactly the right direction for our ultimate soul path.
posted September 11, 2009 at 8:29 am
Thank you very much for this post – it truly resonated with me!!
My 18 year daughter has her Moon on 0 degree Libra, and I have mine on 1 degree Libra…..Pluto has led us both, together and individually, through some dark places…..we have emerged stronger and grown a lot under it’s influence….
I was wondering, kind of dreading this last passage…..but both me and my daughter are feeling good right now, apart from some intense dreams, and being conscious of some very strong energy around…..we feel positive and ready for something new
Thanks once again, your musings, are a great help…..
Neeta
posted September 11, 2009 at 8:48 am
Lynn – Great post! And I love the synchronicity – just this morning I looked at We’Moon and saw that Pluto was stationing – and then noticed it is almost exactly squaring my moon in Libra (1 minute difference than exact). I knew Pluto was squaring the moon but hadn’t realized the station would be an exact hit. So I checked FaceBook and there was your link to your blog (which I read religiously anyway) — a lot of synchronicity and reassurance. I am choosing to see this as a time to mine the gold beneath the surface – to get to the heart of the matter and heal old relational/mother wounds (moon in Libra in the 4th) once and for all so that I can transform (Pluto) my relational life (Pluto is transiting my 7th). This post was great. And I agree with you that “past performance (of transits) cannot predict their future course” — sounds like the stock market disclaimers and both are true. Thanks for all you do. And I’m glad that Pluto-Mars brought you to this wider audience – I was reading your blog before, glad to see you get wider exposure, wise astrologer! Diane
posted September 11, 2009 at 9:42 am
Cool story Diane, thanks for sharing it! And Neeta, thank you too for sharing your own Pluto experience.
posted September 11, 2009 at 9:52 am
Wonderful post. It was the most lucid explanation of Pluto’s role that I’ve ever read. Or maybe I was just ready to understand. I can’t make heads nor tails out of my chart, but I’ve just been through a summer of …hmmm…great wakefulness…I feel like I have finally awakened. It is a great feeling.
Now for employment!!! I’m ready.
Thank you Lynn
Ann
posted September 11, 2009 at 10:11 am
Being Greek, please allow me to give some explanations regarding the Greek god Pluto: his name is Ades, which in Greek means “invisible” as well as “the one that can not be known, understood”, since death, the underworld and the after life are both invisible and impossible to be known by anyone alive. Ades was called by different names-adjectives that depicted his deeds: Melas= black, Krateros= strong, mighty, Polydegmon= accepting to his house etc. He was also called Plouton -which was turned into Pluto by Latins and is the word used today in the western world- which in Greek means “wealthy” because Ades was the god of the “fertility and treasures that the Earth holds”. So it is NOT the Romans that considered him god of the treasures of the arth, but the Greeks. The Romans took the Greek gods and latinized their names.
posted September 11, 2009 at 10:16 am
Ades-Plouton married Persephone, daughter of the goddess of earth, Dimitra= which means “mother earth”; Persephone is the personification of Spring, when the earth shows her wealth, her diversity, the fertility and the treasures she holds.
Hope to have helped. One more thing, I just love your blog, thanks
posted September 11, 2009 at 11:11 am
Fabulous, fabulous post on Pluto, Lynn!! You have done an excellent job of explaining clearly how Pluto works and it dovetails beautifully with my own experiences with him both natally and by transit.
Pluto conjoined all my personal planets, Midheaven and Ascendant by transit from the time I graduated high school until my mid-forties. I lived very lightly, accumulating practically no possessions, owned no real property or even a car, was single & childless during that time period. It was when Pluto was in Scorpio and crossing my Ascendant, that I married. Now I jointly own a home on 18+ acres, have two stepdaughter and a granddaughter, have more “stuff” than I know what to do with . . . like many others. However, I still have a place within that know all this is temporary and “on loan” so to speak.
posted September 11, 2009 at 11:19 am
Dear Lynn,
Such a great post. Thank you.
posted September 11, 2009 at 12:45 pm
Great post!
I’ve just started looking into mudanr astrology and I think its fascinating about the Pluto/Saturn opposition straddling the AC/DC axis. Very “Them And Us” I looked into the astrology for the Sodini shooting and rectified Sodini chart on the basis that these type of shocking events tend to occur around important angles.
We had it so that the Full moon (opposition) the night before fell on the DC of his chart and the Moon/Asteroid Lilith opposition was across the AC/DC axis at the time of the shooting. Violence against women?
posted September 11, 2009 at 2:12 pm
I really enjoyed this post.
I’m learning so much from you.
Thanks!
posted September 11, 2009 at 3:53 pm
thanks all for such great comments and Neith, for sharing your story.
posted September 11, 2009 at 7:01 pm
SO wise and clear.. Thank you Lynn.. I truly enjoy every one of your posts….. We just have to drop those paddles and float downstream… as nothing we want is UPSTREAM… Yes?
posted September 12, 2009 at 3:14 am
This post is going to take some study. I have Pluto sq Mars. Pluto is somewhere near the MC but depending on who does the chart it varies on which side. Mars is conjunct Asc. The only digestive problems I seem to have is eating too much. I don’t remember if you said what house was involved with your chart. 9/9/9 did seem to be the end of something for me, so maybe I’m finally getting to a place of change. I seem to have been stuck for a while. Blessings and thank you.
PS The tides calendar seems to indicate this coming week will be another of 7+ft tides nearly everyday at least in the norCal bay area. My observation has been that this frequently happens a few days after major planetary aspects. Also, many times there are earth changes involved w/in a few days after these tidal occurences. Send love and blessing to Mother Gaia TKS. :>]
posted September 12, 2009 at 8:12 am
Good point Michelle!
posted September 14, 2009 at 4:52 am
I’m kind of afraid of pluto! He is entering my 4th house. I heard that isn’t a very fun place for him to be. My sun and venus are also both in my fourth house. I’m not so sure how i feel about this for the next.. what 10 years? Do you know any people who have had a pluto transit through there 4th house and “survived”? lol. I enjoy your posts, thanks so much!
posted September 15, 2009 at 8:15 am
Hi Chan, just remember Pluto is always somewhere, and always affecting something. When Pluto crosses into the fourth house he is opposite the Midheaven, and likely creating transformation in the way you look at your work life as well as your home life. The nice thing about being older is that you’ve been through many planetary transits, and find that you survive them all.
With your Sun and Venus both in Capricorn, apparently, you are a person who is able to work hard at overcoming obstacles and that will serve you well as you go through the empowering Pluto cycles.
posted September 15, 2009 at 9:49 am
In Indian astrology this attack was predefined but from with in the country. The famous astrology site declared forecast about mishappening, that west countries may face some problem regarding to war and financial crises.
posted September 15, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I have saturn and north node in cancer in the sixth house natally and as pluto moves to the 10th degree it will be opposite these planets. I am very worried about the meaning of this as saturn and pluto were opposite during 9/11. How might this manifest in a personal way?
I love your website! You are extremely insightful.
Thanks,
Jerre
posted September 16, 2009 at 9:19 am
Jerre, please post your birth data. There’s no way really to generalize an answer to this question. Thanks for your kind words about this site!
posted September 17, 2009 at 12:47 pm
Dear Lynn,
Thanks for your great articles on Pluto in capricorn. I have sun in capricorn in the eighth house (as well as mercury) and I’m a bit worried about the changes that are about to take place. What is the best way to prepare for a transit pluto conjunct sun in the eighth. (Birth data – 27th Dec, 1968 – Merthyr Tydfil UK)Thanks for any helpful advice.
posted September 18, 2009 at 10:25 am
Hi Jude – your Sun is square to Jupiter, Uranus and the South Node in your chart, so Pluto will be square to these planets when it conjoins your Sun. However, since Pluto rules the eighth house and you Sun is there, you are already quite familiar with the dark side of life. I would say you will be drawn deeper inward, and you will forced to give up some of your ideals (Jupiter/Uranus) that are based on things that are false, perhaps ideas that you have held onto (South Node) that are no longer valid. You’re heading into your Neptune square period as well, and the Uranus opposition. This will be a very exciting time for you! Just remember who you’re dealing with: Neptune (urging us to pursue a spiritual connection), Uranus (requiring that we try to live a life that is authentic as possible) and Pluto (encouraging us to give up that which no longer serves us, and surrender. Saturn of course will be in there too, and he requires focus and discipline. Any of your conflicts between freedom (Uranus) and hard work (Sun in Cap) will arise over the next few years – they need to be balanced and integrated.
posted September 19, 2009 at 2:23 am
Dear Lynn,
Thanks for your guidance ahead of the Pluto conjunct sun transit. The ‘going inward’ phase has already begun and I sense the rumblings of change in my life getting louder. Thanks to your insight perhaps I will now welcome this phase of life rather than dread it.
Many thanks
Jude
posted September 25, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Dear Lynn,
My Pluto 8th house transit is demanding soul searching – lost my mum and as I now live abroad my past too has melted away with her passing, my business is down to a trickle and the panorama looks bleak. For the last four years, in my spare time, I’ve been writing a book (it’s my third book) and I feel an urge to puff some wind into its sails again, however, I can’t bring myself to believe that anything concrete can come out of this, (failed in the past – twice). One question – Is the completion worth the pursuit or is it just fanciful dreaming – again?
I’d love to hear a word or two of advice from you.
Thanks for all
Jude
posted September 25, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Jude, it sounds like you might need a personal consultation, which I’ll be glad to do.