That Pluto Feeling: Pluto Stations Direct
by Steven Forrest
Drama reigns in the skies lately, with the long series of exact Pluto-Uranus squares looming from 2012 through 2015. As I write these words here on September 3rd, the major astrological event of the next few weeks is the upcoming Pluto Station on September 16 as it turns Direct at just under 5° Capricorn. In broad terms, when a planet is retrograde it tends to be inward and reflective. When it turns around to go forward, it becomes more assertive and oriented toward material experience. And when a planet is Stationary, it is extremely focused and intense. The tide is turning. With Pluto, this intensification naturally means either the culmination of some deep psychological work – or the emergence of catastrophic situations that illustrate the consequences of the lack of such work!
Pluto went retrograde on April 8th. These last six months, you have been invited to reflect on certain edgy truths about yourself. Since it is in Capricorn, a good start would be the question of where you have been trying to control that which is uncontrollable in your life, and thus creating fruitless anxiety for yourself. The house in which Pluto now lies in your chart gives further clues as to the exact nature of this control-issue. Is Pluto transiting through your Seventh House? Then maybe you are banging your head against the wall trying to control other people’s actions or attitudes. Second house? Maybe it’s about money. Tenth house? Maybe you are driving yourself crazy trying to control politics, world history, and the fate of the economy.
Pluto Transits
In astrological circles - especially evolutionary ones - the lore around transits of Pluto takes on almost mythic proportions. Holding in mind that all transits are opportunities for integration, we'll look at the lessons Pluto brings and how we can respond with conscious intention.
Steven outlines the core meaning and function of Pluto when transiting the natal chart. Includes a look at Oprah Winfrey's chart.
In any case, since April you have been offered insight into those kinds of control issues. After Pluto makes its Station on September 16th, you are invited to act forcefully and mindfully upon your circumstances, based on what you have figured out. What can you actually change or control? And where must you relinquish influence and let the cards fall as they will? With Pluto stationary, there may well be some “detonations” over the next couple of weeks which precipitate opportunities for these kinds of actions and decisions.
You will soon have some help. On October 9th, Venus transits into Pluto’s natural sign, Scorpio. On October 13th, Mercury follows it. They both remain there until November 2nd. Together, these two planets press the collective atmosphere in the direction of honest communication (Mercury) between people who care about each other or are otherwise linked together (Venus). Since April, you may have become aware of certain things that were not working in your life – and hopefully, you have also become aware of your part in them! If they involve other people, as such issues often do, this twin transit through Scorpio can provide an opportunity to clear the air. If your partners are ever going to be receptive to having a healing conversation, this is the time for it. On October 23rd, the Sun makes it own yearly entry in Scorpio as well and remains there on November 22nd, further supporting the idea of real progress and real change – and remember that this is all based on the quiet Plutonian insights you have hopefully achieved since April.
Astrologically, all this is what is “trying to happen.” If, since April, you have been psycho-spiritually lazy or too busy blaming other people for your own control-issues then you will probably encounter some existential train wrecks over the next few weeks. And don’t think of them as “bad luck” or “God punishing you” – we can forget about that illusion of existential randomness or that patriarchal shaming. What those train wrecks are is simply a chance to work out in the concrete, material world what you actually could have worked out much more easily in your head and heart since April! This is not punishment, but simply the law of consequences and the endless patience of the universe in showing us pathways to our own evolution.
-Steven
The Book of Pluto
Explore perhaps the most mysterious planet. Learn how your Plutonian wounds, once acknowledged, might become your most energizing strengths. Covers natal Pluto by sign, house, aspect, transits and progressions. Gutsy writing that unflinchingly looks the Dark in the face, but we think you'll come away from it inspired.