Keys to Transformation: Part II
Pluto
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful,
I have cursed them without cause.
Most astrologers agree that the planet Pluto symbolizes a dimension of life that is so complex and has such deep sources that an aura of mystery surrounds the meaning of this planet in any individual birth-chart. Since its discovery, there have been many attempts to clarify the meaning of this planet; and, although astrologers are able to find many different meanings useful for their particular purposes, and although many articles have been written about the “influence” of Pluto on “mass karma” and mundane events, I have not been able to find any explanation of this planet’s significance for the individual human being and his psychological make-up which I could regard as complete. It seems there is always something hidden about Pluto, something subtle and difficult to conceptualize in ordinary logical terms. Everything connected with Pluto is slightly out of the ordinary, a bit eccentric, and indicative of a realm of cosmic immensity that boggles the mind. This is true not only of the planet’s function astrologically, but also of the movement of the planet itself.
The orbit of Pluto, like the orbits of all the other planets, is an ellipse, but Pluto’s orbit is considerably more elliptical than that of any other major planet in the solar system. Whereas the orbital planes of all the other major planets lie within seven degrees of the plane of the Earth’s orbit, or the “plane of the ecliptic,” the orbit of Pluto is inclined fully seventeen degrees to that plane. The mean distance of this planet from the Sun is nearly 40 “astronomical units,” the “astronomical unit” being the mean distance of the Earth from the Sun, or roughly ninety-three million miles. Accordingly, a distance of forty astronomical units amounts in round numbers to 3,700,000,000 miles. The orbit of the planet is so pronouncedly elliptical, however, that its distance from the Sun varies to the extent of some 1,800,000,000 miles, the minimum distance being equal to about 2,800,000,000 miles, or a trifle less than that of Neptune, and the maximum distance, to approximately 4,600,000,000 miles, or nearly sixty-five percent greater than that of Neptune. Like the other planets, however, Pluto revolves around the Sun from west to east —that is, in a counter-clockwise direction. Its period of revolution around the sun is about 250 of our years; hence a “year” on this “world” is equal to two and a half centuries here on the Earth! Pluto is now near the perihelion point in its orbit, or that closest to the Sun; it passed that point in the year 1989, when it was at a distance from the Sun only slightly less than that of Neptune (2,800,000,000 miles). Pluto was then nearest to the Earth as well as to the Sun and in the most favorable position generally for observation from the Earth.
It is an interesting circumstance that if its orbit lay in the same plane as that of the orbit of Neptune, Pluto at perihelion would be slightly within the orbit of Neptune. As a result of the high mutual inclination of the orbital planes of the two planets, however, their orbits do not intersect at any point, although at its closest approach to the Sun, Pluto is actually a bit (approximately half an astronomical unit) nearer to the Sun than is Neptune. According to Dr. Franklin of the Haydn Planetarium in New York City, Pluto moved closer to the Sun in its orbit than Neptune on December 11, 1978 and will remain there until March 14, 1999. Many astrologers have commented on this period, linking it to crucial changes in the world’s cultural development. Dane Rudhyar specifically points out that this passage of Pluto closer to the Sun than Neptune has a stimulating or “seeding” effect at the deeper levels of collective consciousness. He writes:
Pluto can be said, in one sense at least, to symbolize the seed falling into the humus made of the dissolved and chemicalized remains of the ending cycle of annual vegetation (the product of a Neptunian process of dissolution); it can be related also to the “Descent to Hell” by Christ before his resurrection. As Pluto therefore cuts into Neptune’s orbit, a process of release from the past and of impregnation by a nucleated vision of the future can symbolically be said to occur. Indeed such a period in every revolution of Pluto around the Sun is, historically speaking, unusually significant.
These periods often witness a repolarization of the collective unconscious and the ideals of mankind along lines which, in one way or another, stress factors deeply rooted in human nature and thus common to a large section of mankind.
Marc Edmund Jones has written that this historical phase of Pluto’s cycle “marks the overall and complete revolution of just about everything on the globe.” Zipporah Dobyns further clarifies what she sees as the meaning of this period:
This period re-emphasizes the Scorpio quality of the last quarter of this century …. Pluto will be in its own sign from the mid-1980’sto the mid-1990’s. Humanity is being notified that it is time that we learned to share the resources of the planet. The key meaning of letter 8 of our astrological alphabet, whether Pluto, Scorpio, or the 8th house of a chart, is the need to learn self-knowledge through the mirror of close peers, and to learn self-mastery out of respect for the rights of others.
The idea that Pluto’s “influence” is growing stronger in the period mentioned above is confirmed in the psychic readings of Edgar Cayce, for he stated earlier in this century:
…. these (influences) are a development that is occurring in the universe, or environs about the earth—Pluto…. It is gradually growing, and thus is one of those influences that are to be a demonstrative activity in the future affairs or developments of man, towards the spiritual-minded influence….
These (individuals) in the present, as might be said, are merely the (ones) becoming aware of same. Rather, within the next hundred to two hundred years there may be a great deal of influence (of Pluto) upon the ascendency of man; for it’s closest of those to the activities of the earth, to be sure, and is a developing influence, not one already established. (Reading 1100-27; quoted in Margaret Gammon’s Astrology & the Edgar Cayce Readings, p. 46)
One of the most remarkable things about Pluto is that its meaning encompasses many opposite qualities, about which we shall speak in more detail shortly. But simply to study the planet from the astronomical viewpoint leads one inevitably to confront measurements that range from the most minute to the incomprehensibly vast. For example, Pluto is approximately of the fourteenth stellar magnitude, which means that it is around one sixteen-hundredth as bright as the faintest star easily visible to the naked eye on a clear, moonless night. This minute level of brightness, together with its rather small size, are two factors that are quite deceptive, for the power represented by Pluto far surpasses its physical attributes. It seems apparent that anything connected with Pluto (or with the sign Scorpio or the eighth house) cannot accurately be judged from its appearance, nor can it be understood from mere observation of surface characteristics. Our conception of the vastness of our planetary system (and thus of the nature of human beings as well) has been greatly expanded by the discovery of Pluto. Astronomers used to think of our solar system as being sixty astronomical units in extent. Now, they see it as a third again as large, or eighty astronomical units in overall diameter, and possibly larger since it is known that the Sun’s gravitational field extends far beyond Pluto. The solar system is now considered to be of such dimensions that light—which travels in a vacuum at more than 186,000 miles per second—requires some eleven hours to go from one extremity of the planetary domain to the other. It has recently become clear to increasing numbers of astrologers that the potential expansion of consciousness which Pluto symbolizes in the individual chart is a perfect parallel to the expanded awareness of the vast scope of the solar system itself which Pluto’s discovery prompted.
Pluto operates at such a deep level and with such subtlety that research into the charts of “famous” people doesn’t help us much to understand Pluto’s significance. After all, we can’t usually know what inner problems or profound experiences shaped these peoples’ lives. Hence, the most important research with Pluto has to be done in relation to our own birth-charts and those of close friends. Whether considered in relation to individual experience or collective phenomena, Pluto always symbolizes a form of extremely concentrated power. This power is so intensely concentrated that the physical shape or size of Plutonian phenomena (like the planet itself) is irrelevant. For example, the atomic bomb is usually considered to be a Plutonian source of power. The amount of energy released from one such bomb is overwhelming in comparison to the bomb’s physical size. As mentioned above, the planet itself exhibits this characteristic; for, although smaller than the Earth, its “influence” affects life on Earth in a proportion far greater than its size would indicate. Plutonian power, therefore, is derived from a source that is beyond or within the physical form through which the power emanates. The great energy of Pluto comes from a source that is not at all obvious and which we might call transcendental. This is the reason that Plutonian energy always manifests in terms of opposites, for that which is truly transcendent can only be understood by ordinary consciousness in terms of opposites: the light and the dark, the joy and the suffering, the spectacular show followed by the inevitable backlash. For example, nuclear energy and large scale use of chemical pesticides have been referred to as Plutonian phenomena. Both are sources of great power, and we have all seen the obvious results they can accomplish. But both have also been used in such a way as to bring about the negative, destructive aspects of such forces: radiation poisoning and genetic damage, and chemical poisoning of the soil, food, and water. Pluto therefore symbolizes a kind of power which can be used creatively only when the user is sufficiently spiritually-oriented, for spiritual evolution and in-depth healing are the only areas of experience wherein Pluto’s forces can be utilized without a negative backlash.
The function of the Plutonian energy can best be shown by looking into the meaning of Pluto’s transits to important points in the natal chart. Although Chapter 9 will discuss these transits in more detail, it is necessary to touch upon them here in order to clarify the essential principle which Pluto represents. Pluto’s transits are ordinarily concerned with the death and destruction of the old, this destruction being necessary in order to make room for the new. C.E.O. Carter writes that “all eliminative processes are Plutonian, including those advocated by what is called Nature Cure.” Advocates of the Nature Cure method of healing believe that, in order for the person to be healed, all poisons, toxins, and other impediments to the flow of the life energy must be eliminated, thus allowing the natural healing forces to rebuild (or regenerate) the body. Carter says that a boil is a good example of Pluto’s action on a small scale, since it brings to the surface that which must be eliminated. This same Plutonian force began to be active on a larger scale at the same time Pluto was discovered, as seen in the Freudian approach to psychology (bringing to the light all “repressed” psychic material) and in the rise of Nazism (bringing to the surface the unsuspected demons that lurk beneath the facade of “civilization”). Transits of Pluto have a similar influence, bringing to the surface that which is ready for elimination and destruction.
For example, one of my clients came to me a few years ago on the verge of psychological collapse. He was paranoid and hysterical at the time, though he is usually extremely self-contained. He said he was having all sorts of paranoid fantasies about his lover. When we looked at the ephemeris to find out what transits were happening at that time, the experience he was going through was immediately clarified. Pluto, by transit, was in an exact square with his natal Venus. Hence, I explained to him that Pluto’s transits had the effect of destroying old patterns of thought and behavior, as well as eliminating all sorts of psychic residue that were preventing his growth. Since Pluto was in square to Venus, his experiences naturally were affecting his emotional life and close relationships. It was as if all the fears, ideals, fantasies, and expectations he had about love relationships had been immediately and forcefully brought to the surface and were being purged and eliminated in spite of this person’s conscious wishes . This explanation helped him to get some sort of a perspective on what was going on deep within him, although he of course still had to go through the full range of emotional experience. He seemed somewhat relieved after the consultation; and, a few days later, he told me that he was making an appointment with a psychiatrist in order to help him get in touch with these deep feelings. Things calmed down somewhat after this transit passed; but, when Pluto turned retrograde and again came into the square with natal Venus, the same sort of experiences started up again, though this time with much less force. The third transit of Pluto (direct again) in square to his natal Venus marked the end of this very long and difficult period of emotional transition. By the time the whole process was over, he was much clearer about where he stood in relation to his girl friend; he decided to put off marriage for the time being; and he seemed much more content with his everyday emotional life. In addition, all of his values, whether concerning love, marriage, money, or aesthetic preferences, underwent a total transformation. Judging now, from the vantage point of a few years later, it is apparent that this one experience, although at the time painful and confusing, opened up doors to new insights and indeed to an entirely new outlook on life which are still today deeply affecting his everyday attitudes.
This is one point about the transits of the trans-Saturnian planets that cannot be over-emphasized: the long-term ramifications of these crucial change periods will not become apparent until we have the clarified perspective which only time will bring. The changes that happen during these periods are so intense and so concentrated, while at the same time their full implications on the total life are so subtle, that it is simply impossible for most individuals to assimilate within a short period of time the complete meaning of this transition from one phase of life to another. It may often take as long as ten years for a person to fully grasp what indeed was happening on the deeper levels during these transformative phases. At the exact time of the mathematically precise transit, one has no perspective on what is happening. One often simply feels that the rug has been pulled out from under him, leaving him disoriented and with the realization that, while the old is being irretrievably left behind, there is no place to stand, no firm and familiar guidepost to hold on to. It is a very insecure feeling, and it is often accompanied by simultaneous physical and/or psychological symptoms of disintegration. It often seems to me that the actual experience of these transits (i.e., the transits of any of the trans-Saturnian planets) is not nearly so stress-producing as the resulting panic, fear, and anxiety which quickly ensues in most people. Since human beings are creatures of habit and therefore rarely inclined to give up the old and familiar security of past patterns of life, they usually resist such changes—which only has the effect of increasing the inner pressure and tension. The only thing that can get us through these periods with some degree of psychic balance left intact is a firm, unshakable faith in the wisdom and the order of life itself. This faith has to be based on real knowledge of universal laws, for a sham faith that one clings to primarily out of fear inevitably collapses as soon as a real challenge is confronted. This is one of the greatest values of astrology, for it can lead the individual to discover real and reliable knowledge about the universal laws which shape our life experience. It can give the individual a heightened perspective on his experience, a detachment which can eventually grow into wisdom.
Hence, although some astrologers hold that Pluto transits always bring about some kind of “separation” from people, things, or activities, we can see from the above example that Pluto operates on a level that is far deeper than that of mere transitory phenomena. I am not saying that large-scale outer events never accompany such a transit. I am emphasizing that, whether or not there are obvious, external changes at that time, the meaning of the experience is never starkly obvious; for the changes at the deepest psychic level are so long-lasting and so profound that the analytical mind cannot grasp their true purpose. In the above example, a “separation” did take place, but it was on a deep emotional level, through the elimination of life patterns that were no longer serving a useful purpose in the person’s inner development. He was, therefore, “separated” from self-defeating and inhibiting psychological patterns, although his relationship with a particular woman developed markedly in closeness and in depth, and his capacity to understand his own emotional needs and thus his ability to relate to other people more meaningfully grew at a rapid pace. Hence, although Pluto transits often coincide with the absolute and total end of an old phase of outward activity or an overt mode of self-expression, they inevitably show us inwardly that it is time to let go of an old psychological pattern or approach to life which no longer serves any creative purpose.
This same idea is stated by Dane Rudhyar in his book Triptych when he refers to Pluto’s influence as bringing about a “freedom from bondage to forms and substances no longer useful to the individualized spirit ….” Pluto, by transit, therefore symbolizes the power to release the more enduring from the transitory, whether it be the soul from the body at death or the individual self from the old shell of personality and ego. Transiting Pluto brings to the surface hidden or subliminal conditions in order that this energy can be released from the old shell and transformed into a new source of consciously-usable power. The action of transiting Pluto always deals with both the light and the dark, the old and the new. Hence, while it often brings to the surface the remnants of the old in order that they can be eliminated, it can also bring to light what the inner self has learned and make manifest the essence of being which endures.
Seen in the light of reincarnation and the law of karma, the influence of the planet Pluto might be clarified. For example, transiting Pluto has the effect of destroying and eliminating old psychological patterns, which can be seen as the residue from past life thoughts and actions. If each person (or soul) has lived many lives in many different bodies, it seems reasonable that the memory and impressions of all these lives’ actions and thoughts still lie in the unconscious mind. It then follows that such subliminal patterns of thought and action might easily become activated in our daily lives and interfere with our functioning as free, fully conscious entities. The transits of Pluto, therefore, serve to speed our evolution by severing our attachment to the old and making room for the new. In traditional psychological terminology, these unconscious conglomerates, which, according to Dr. C. G. lung, contain a definite “psychic energy” of their own, are known as “complexes.” These complexes are alive and still influence the conscious life of individuals by means of various subtle—yet insistent—feelings. In relation to the theory of reincarnation, these concentrations of psychic energy can be seen as the results (or “karma”) of past thoughts, desires, and actions. Pluto’s transits, therefore, often seem to wipe out much of this karmic residue in a particular area, allowing the individual a greater possibility of expressing himself thereafter as a psychologically free agent. The fantasies, paranoia, and hallucinations that sometimes accompany Pluto transits are thus the result of this psychic residue being stirred up and forcefully pushed to the surface.
In mythology, Pluto was always connected with the “underworld.” just as the god Pluto held Persephone in the underworld, so the Pluto force in the individual horoscope symbolizes those old patterns and psychic wastes which hold us down and have to be eliminated.14 In Greek mythology, Pluto was regarded esoterically as identical with Hades and Dionysos. As the scholar Kerenyi states, Hades and Pluto were both considered to be “cover names” for Dionysos. (Eleusis, p. 40) The fact that the subterranean wine god Dionysos and Pluto were regarded as identical gives us a clue to why people behave so compulsively under the influence of alcohol; for the liquor stimulates and stirs up the old, usually unconscious compulsions. Kerenyi writes that Persephone was “seduced by her father, the Subterranean Zeus, Hades, or Dionysos….” This subterranean Zeus is identical with Pluto, and the fact that this deity is called Zeus reveals what overwhelming power was attributed to him.
For the Greeks, Pluto was regarded as the antithesis of the Sun God Apollo, hence as an irreconcilable enemy of all new life. This interpretation corresponds with astrological factors; for the Sun in the individual chart shows what we’re assimilating and in what area of life our innermost self is expressed, whereas Pluto shows what aspects of the personality must be eliminated before the self can grow and in what area of life we express old, compulsive ways of being. As mentioned above, Pluto was correlated with the divine power living within the earth (the subterranean Dionysos), he who holds the keys to great riches, as well as he who gives and then takes away life-giving forces within all natural forms. This polarity between life and death, light and darkness, the new and the old reveals how closely Pluto is connected with the most profound life processes, active at the deepest levels of experience. In this light, Pluto may be seen as identical to the overwhelming, impersonal power of the earth, what Jung calls “chthonic power”; and the ruthlessness and cruelty often associated with Pluto is starkly evident in nature where survival of the fittest is the rule and where the strong and sly prey upon the weak and slow. There is of course a natural law guiding this process, but it does not lessen the terror and horror that we often feel at the impersonal cruelty of nature in the material plane. Perhaps this connection of Pluto to the deeper power of the earth was what Cayce was referring to when he said that Pluto is closest to the activities of the planet earth?
If one wants to get a better feel for what this chthonic earth power is, I would suggest that one follow the hint found in a particular Greek myth, in which any place where a large fig tree grows was regarded as a point on the earth’s surface where one could have easy access to the Plutonian power below. One could sit underneath such a tree and tune in on this energy in order to become familiar with its raw power. For millenia, the fig tree has been regarded in many cultures as the symbol par excellence of the earth’s fertility and its ability to bring forth life even in a desert. In fact, one of the many unusual astrological “coincidences” of my life was the fact that I used to go up to a high hill in Northern California in order to sit and meditate under the towering branches of a huge, ancient fig tree. I was always powerfully impressed with the intensity of energy that emanated from that area, as if I was descending into the primeval mists of prehistoric times, times when one could still experience cosmic powers and energies with great immediacy. Even on a day when the outside temperature was 110°, the temperature under the fig tree was many degrees cooler. The trunk of that tree was over four feet in diameter, and the diameter of the entire tree measured from the outer branches must have been at least fifty feet. The odd thing is that I had never heard of the Greek legends about the fig tree’s correlation with Pluto at that time. When I did come across these myths a short time later, it seemed to me that not only was the ancient legend based upon a real energy that could be experienced but also that it was especially appropriate since my progressed Moon at the time was in the natal eighth house and aspecting natal Pluto.
One of the paradoxical aspects of Pluto’s nature is that its symbolism incorporates both the old life forms which are ready to be eliminated and the very power that will shatter those forms and effect this type of psychological-emotional surgery. This seeming paradox may be understood when we see that the Pluto energy is contained within the old forms and that it simply needs to be activated (for example, by a powerful transit) for the energy to release and thus bring things to the surface rapidly and compellingly. An analogy would be the sprouting of a seed; for the rigid, concentrated form of the seed is indeed destroyed when the latent seed power begins to stir. As the seed receives the moisture and warmth it needs for the potential energy to unfold, the seed’s form is split asunder and indeed is used for food in order to nourish and sustain the new growth. We might take a lesson from this analogy in that, while the old life patterns and forms are destroyed and eliminated from one’s present mode of living during a Plutonian period, the energy released from this transformation (even if in the form of pain and deep agony) is the very energy which will nourish us and enable us to push onward toward new growth.
We can say, therefore, that Pluto’s position in the individual birth-chart reveals the old ego, or the old shell of the personality which is still active and which still embodies a considerable concentration of psychic energy. As long as this energy remains unconscious and inextricably connected with old patterns of life, it acts as a psychological complex which promotes compulsive and obsessive patterns of thought and behavior in our conscious life. It is only when this energy is freed from the confines of the old shell—the shell which we have now outgrown—that it can be consciously used to help us manifest the essence of the solar individuality, the new way of being which is necessary for our development. Pluto in the individual chart therefore symbolizes (by house position) the deep-seated psychic impressions resulting from past desires and actions, which now manifest subtly as obsessions and compulsions that have no rational explanation. In other words, the true nature of the original desire is no longer clear to us; yet we are still at the mercy of this inclination, and it often makes us miserable. Pluto’s house position therefore also shows where one is living out an old desire or pattern of behavior and where the results of that overwhelming urge are often creating pain and suffering.
Another way of putting this is that we are most intensely meeting our karma in whatever area of life is symbolized at Pluto’s house position. Although Saturn is often said to be the planet of karma, this is an oversimplification. Saturn does reveal specific karmic tests and specific needs for self-discipline. But the essence of the law of karma, as the clairvoyant Edgar Cayce puts it, is “meeting self.” And Pluto’s house position shows the field of experience wherein we are meeting our old self and our past desires. The suffering often necessitated by the confrontation with this old self is a clear example of how difficult it is to live up to the ancient axiom “Know thyself.” Pluto in the individual chart thus reveals what work we have to do at deep levels of our being, what patterns of being we have to let go of, eliminate, or reject. The reason Pluto is often said to represent a “higher octave” of Mars is not only that both are extremely powerful and assertive influences, but also that both planets reveal in any particular chart specific directions that this energy should take. Whereas Mars represents the energy we have to do work in the world, Pluto represents the energy necessary to do work in the underworld, i.e., at the deeper levels of each person’s psychic structure.
Whatever house Pluto is found in is highly energized, for it is here that one is in immediate contact with a deep reservoir of concentrated power. This great power can be used to assert one’s desires willfully, ruthlessly, and obnoxiously; or it can be harnessed as positive will and mind power and used to elevate one’s higher qualities. Whatever house Pluto is in will show where one is inclined to try to impose his or her will on others, but it is also in this area of life that one can make the most dramatic strides toward personal development. There is great energy at one’s disposal in whatever area of life is indicated by Pluto’s house position, and this energy can lend depth and thoroughness, insight and power of concentration to those fields of experience, if the energy is utilized with full consciousness. Pluto’s house position also indicates the area of life in which the individual may feel isolated and lonely, for in this area the person prefers to remain buried in his or her own interests. This can indicate a certain anti-social quality due to the fact that one is impatient and demanding in this area of life. This impatience arises from the deep feeling that one’s identity (an identity carried over from the past) is threatened, that everything related to that particular field of experience is collapsing and being destroyed at the foundations of one’s being. Here again we see the polarity between the Sun (one’s true identity in this life) and Pluto (an old pattern of identity from the past, still subliminally active). The old identity is being destroyed, a process that has to be undergone in order for the person to experience a new way of being.
A few examples may help to explain this connection between Pluto and a resonance with a past pattern of life. Pluto in the first house is one of the most difficult Pluto positions to have in a natal chart. Here, the person usually experiences an almost continual identity crisis throughout his or her first twenty-five years or even longer, an experience that severely affects the person’s self-image. But where does this feeling come from? I feel that this factor is only explainable in terms of reincarnation and karma. As an example, two people I know were told by reliable clairvoyants about past lives, the influence of which are very active in their present lives. Both people have Pluto in the first house, often known as the ”house of identity.” One person was said to have been a slave in the past, and this demeaning experience could surely account for her lack of self-confidence and her periodic identity crises since childhood. The other person was said to have been in Atlantis where he was subjected to all sorts of cruel ”scientific” experiments, which had a devastating effect upon his sense of identity. Again, this could easily account for his identity problems in this life. Another person, who has Pluto in the fifth house of his natal chart, was said to have been the head of a large household and to have wielded a great deal of power over other people. This tendency carries over into this life as an inclination to “lord it over” others and to forget that they have their own desires and rights. (Remember that the fifth house correlates with the lordly sign Leo.) Another example, the clairvoyant Edgar Cayce, said in his own psychic reading that he had once been in a position of social authority, shaping the lives of thousands of people when he was a priest in Egypt. This explanation corresponds to Cayce’s natal Pluto being in the tenth house of authority, and anyone who reads Cayce’s biography cannot fail to notice how often he had clashes with those in authority during his lifetime.
We can gather from the above examples that Pluto’s house position shows a past pattern of life that is carried over into this life. The power from the past is still there; but, evidently, the time has come to use that power in a new way. The time has come for that old pattern of life to die and for a new way of being to develop. At this point, one might well ask how this new way of being can develop when each of us is chained to the old? I can only answer that one must consciously let go of the old and open oneself to the influence of others so that one can learn new attitudes toward that area of life. This letting go is especially difficult for Plutonian and Scorpionic people, for they hate to let go in any way since they fear that the resulting openness will make them vulnerable and thus will be giving the power they want to keep into the hands of others. How can one have the faith to let go if one has no trust in others, in one’s own motivations, or—indeed—in life or God? This is the dilemma which any person faces if he or she has a strong accent on Pluto, Scorpio, or even on the eighth house in the natal chart. We might say therefore that the first step in dealing with this type of problem is to learn to trust, primarily by taking the risk of opening oneself now and then and coming to realize that one can handle whatever ensues, even if it does bring pain with it. One of the contradictory qualities of Pluto is that those who have emphasis on this planet (or its sign or house) are often so courageous and fearless of suffering in their approach to outer life activities and challenges; yet these are the same people who are often terrified of encountering the pain of their own deeper feelings.
This process of learning a new approach, of refining one’s mode of self-expression and the use of one’s will power, has often been called “regeneration.” Hence, we can say that Pluto’s house position reveals the area of life where a complete regeneration must take place. This regeneration changes willfulness, compulsiveness, and ruthlessness into a consciously-usable power of great intensity which then manifests as penetrating insight, understanding of subtle forces (often resulting in knowledge years ahead of its time), and the use of the will to promote creative actions. The Pluto energy can also be directed into healing channels. In fact, many people who specialize in healing merely by laying on of hands or through other systems of healing by touch have a prominent Pluto in their charts. It should be emphasized that the Pluto energy is so effective in healing because it is simultaneously an outgoing, forceful power and a receptive sensitivity.
The following sections provide hints and guidelines for interpreting the meaning of Pluto in the various natal houses. Please keep in mind that these are only guidelines and are meant primarily to elicit insights in your own mind related to the person whose chart is being examined. How positively or negatively the various potentials are being expressed is up to you to judge.
Pluto in the first house: In the first house, the house of identity, Pluto indicates that the person’s sense of self must be totally changed. Although these people often have a deep and penetrating understanding, their insecurity and reserve prevents them from expressing it freely. They desperately need to listen to others’ opinions of them in order to generate a new feeling about themselves; but their very defensiveness about their sense of identity often inhibits this openness. Cooperation at a deep personal level is so difficult for them that they often wind up lonely and, in some cases, even alienated from friends and family. If the Pluto energy is used creatively here, the person can exhibit powerful concentration, a dedication to higher spiritual or social ideals, and a remarkable depth of insight into life’s deeper meanings.
Pluto in the second house: Here there is an overwhelming desire to have control of one’s material resources as an aid to achieving peace of mind. The very orientation toward controlling or possessing, however, is the source of inner turmoil. Pluto in this house indicates that one’s attitudes toward owning or toward possessing things or people must be transformed in order to achieve a regeneration of values. Pluto here also indicates that compulsive expenditures can be a source of difficulty, in which case one needs to discipline that tendency. A person with this position of Pluto is, however, often extremely resourceful in his or her efforts to build some kind of material security; and there can be an understanding of the deeper kinds of energy which money represents.
Pluto in the third house: Pluto in this house indicates a person who is compulsively thorough in all matters of communication. This person wants to be absolutely sure that ideas are being clearly transmitted. This can manifest as a rather irritable way of speaking with others, or it can be transformed into a creative ability to get to the depths of human interaction. People with Pluto here may also have great energies which they can direct out their hands in healing work, and they often are naturally talented in all forms of research.
Pluto in the fourth house: Here the Plutonian compulsiveness operates within the home and within the emotional depths of the person’s psychological life. There is a strong urge for security and for a place of rest and retreat where the person is able to control exactly what is going on in the environment. This can indicate a home life which is subject to all sorts of upheavals and battles due to willfulness and obstinacy. Pluto here indicates that a total reorientation is needed in one’s deepest feelings about one’s self and in one’s sense of security, inner peace, and contentment. It can also indicate deep insight into other people’s emotional needs and an ability to penetrate into the unconscious mind.
Pluto in the fifth house: Here there is a strong compulsion to “be somebody,” to express one’s individuality in a big way. Often these people’s desires to be best and to be recognized as best are thwarted, thus leading to painful re-evaluations of the need to be so great. If the energy motivating the compulsion is transformed into a consciously-usable and practically-applicable power, the person then can pioneer into new areas of creativity with unusual depth. Their creative work may be way ahead of its time, but the power and thoroughness of the work will insure its eventual acceptance. Close emotional relations with children or lovers also serve to help these people learn about themselves in essential ways, although the compulsive element of such relations should be eliminated. The key with this position of Pluto is that the person must learn to be content with his lot in life and must learn to use his great energy to do something special rather than just wanting to be known as someone special.
Pluto in the sixth house: Here in the sixth house, Pluto indicates someone who either wants to serve and help others or at least wants to feel as if he or she is a helpful person. There can be a compulsion to serve others, often in ways that are not appreciated by those being served. This person will often do best to work by and with himself, directing his reformative energies towards his own personal transformation. This position of Pluto also indicates that matters of personal health, or a particular serious illness, can be instrumental in producing great changes in one’s attitudes and a purification of one’s values. In some cases, it also seems to indicate talent in the healing arts.
Pluto in the seventh house: With Pluto in the seventh house, the individual will find marriage and close relationships the dominant field within which his own personal transformation can take place. Often there are compulsive and painful emotional problems with close relationships. Although this person wants to give others a lot of freedom and desperately wants to be liked, he often finds himself unable to establish a true rapport with others. Co-operation becomes difficult, especially when the person finds that he is involved with people who wield a definite power in his life. With this position of Pluto, a marriage can be long-lasting, but only if the person accepts the personal changes required to make it work.
Pluto in the eighth house: Pluto in this house reveals a compulsion to influence the world through the use of power, whether through socially-approved channels of authority or through deep psychological forces or occult power. There can be an inclination toward manipulating others and toward insisting that others change themselves according to this person’s values. Like those with Pluto in the sixth house, this person will do best to let others simply be themselves and to concentrate on learning how to use power for his or her own personal transformation. There are often painfully compulsive experiences in the area of sexuality. The key to the resolution of this entire complex is that the person needs to totally reorient his use of all power: physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual.
Pluto in the 9th house: With this position of Pluto, there is a compulsion to have and to express strong beliefs and ideals that can guide the person’s way of life. Manifesting negatively, this can take the form of dogmatism, self-righteousness, and a need to convert or convince others that they are the ones who know the truth. In order to transform this tendency, these people should realize that, as C. G. lung wrote, one person’s salvation is another’s damnation; and they should let go of the desire to prove their beliefs to themselves by preaching to others. With this Pluto position, we also often find that, as the years pass, the person has profoundly deep experiences which serve to re-orient his or her attitudes about God, truth, and the value of human life.
Pluto in the tenth house: The compulsiveness of Pluto here often takes the form of an impatience toward authority: a resentment against those in authority, or an overwhelming drive to establish oneself as outstanding in some way that will be recognized by others. These people can often attain the position in the world which they seek, but it usually involves a long and some what painful re-evaluation of their true motives and values. Hence, those with this position of Pluto need to totally transform their attitudes toward wordly success, authority, and reputation. Ideally, it symbolizes an ability to see beyond the outer forms of “authority” and hence to develop a deeper sense of responsibility about wielding authority.
Pluto in the eleventh house: Here, Pluto manifests as a compulsion to be accepted by other people and as a need to achieve certain objectives that are consciously not very clear. Often, certain fixed idea shave to be changed in order that a re-birth can take place in the areas of one’s ultimate desires and sense of purpose. The emphasis upon the future sometimes takes such precedence with these people that the present is neglected. Those with this position of Pluto in their natal charts should learn to rely upon themselves, rather than upon others, for their fulfillment, knowing that their deepest hope for the future will be fulfilled only if it encompasses an entire transformation and clarification of their own creative purpose within the framework of social needs.
Pluto in the twelfth house: With this position of Pluto, the person must transform the quality of his or her emotional life by an adherence to some belief or transcendental truth which has the effect of liberating the self from a morass of confusing emotions. Often, this re-orientation will require long periods of loneliness and abstention from social interaction; for dealing with other people often has the effect of again stirring up the old, troublesome emotions that the person is trying to transcend. They should be careful not to allow one-track emotional guilt patterns and feelings of self-persecution to gain the upper hand. The key to this orientation is to establish definite spiritual attitudes toward all of life. Once this spiritual transformation has progressed to a certain point, the individual can develop the capacity to experience the unity 0 all life which lies beneath outer forms.
In any house, the Pluto energy can be tapped to make way for an impersonal—yet controllable—heightened consciousness and for the will power to direct that awareness into creative activities. As with Saturn, the negative aspect of Pluto has been over-emphasized; for the real power of Pluto only becomes negative if we are seeking to interfere with its work.
In my experience, the aspects involving Pluto are among the most difficult factors in any chart to understand, for one never knows on what level the potential is manifesting. Although the nature of Uranus is often referred to as “unpredictable,” it seems to me that the action of Pluto is even more unpredictable. In many cases, it seems to make little difference whether the aspect being considered is a “harmonious” or an “inharmonious” one. In fact, as one begins to investigate the aspects of any of the trans-Saturnian planets, one sees that the so-called stressful aspects are often found in the charts of the most creative and spiritually-aware people. Our evaluation of the meaning of various aspects, therefore, really depends fundamentally upon our own philosophy of life and the particular individual purpose that we value most highly. If our primary purpose is to have a life of ease and absence of major problems (but also, therefore, absence of challenges toward growth and creativity), there might be some justification for approaching aspects in the traditional way of labeling them hard/soft, good/bad, stressful/easy. But if we have the capacity to see life’s possibilities with more complexity and depth, then it becomes much more difficult to categorize various types of human experience according to simplistic, a priori types. The fact most obvious to me is that, if one assumes that there is indeed a creative intelligence from which all life manifestations emanate, then every life experience is guided by this higher intelligence and has a specific purpose. How can we question this purpose? To do so is to reveal our own intellectual arrogance, for it is a bold step to think that we have the capacity to know better than the Architect of this universe. Outlined in Chapter 6 is a more holistic and—I feel—more constructive approach to aspects than is commonly found in astrological textbooks. Some of the above questions are considered further in that chapter, as is more specific material about Pluto aspects. But there are some basic points about these aspects we can clarify here, since they are related to the characteristics of Pluto already discussed.
Aspects of Pluto to another planet in the individual chart show how easily one can use the Pluto energy and how easily one may undergo a Plutonian regeneration. A similar type of development and transformation may, for example, be indicated by both the trine and the square between the same planets, but the person may forcefully resist the change when the aspect is the square. When the aspect is more harmonious (for example, trine or sextile), it seems that the person often has an inner knowledge of why this particular change is necessary, and hence he accommodates himself to the necessary changes more readily. Specifically, it often seems that those with Pluto in trine or sextile to their Sun or Moon (or at times to other personal planets) have an innate understanding of natural processes of growth and transformation. They often seem to take for granted the fact that life is always demanding that we leave behind the old and open ourselves to the new. This does not mean that such people never experience any pain related to Plutonian changes, but simply that they know and accept the fact that the pain they do experience is a necessary part of life.
The fact that a similar type of transformation may be indicated whether the aspect with Pluto is a traditionally “hard” or “easy” aspect can be illustrated by the following example. (Note that it is primarily the person’s approach to dealing with the required changes that is indicated most specifically by the relative harmony or disharmony of the aspect itself.) During a consultation with a thirty-year-old man a few years ago, we were talking about his emotional reactions and general emotional state when he made the following statement: “I find that I am always having to re-form my feeling states, to consciously change my immediate reactions to many different situations.” This particular person at that time had very little knowledge of astrology and certainly no in-depth familiarity with Pluto aspects. And yet, a glance at his chart revealed that he was born with Pluto in a close trine to the Moon! What better symbol could we have of the exact experience he had just described? But the key point here is that he was aware that he was continually making a conscious effort to effect the reforming and transforming of this part of his nature. It was not something he resisted or was especially troubled by. It was perceived to be simply a regular transformative experience in his everyday life which he fully accepted as necessary, although he was unaware of the astrological symbolism for this process. Someone else with Pluto in conjunction, square, or opposition to the natal Moon might experience the same need to alter his or her spontaneous emotional reactions in order to cope with and adapt to everyday life; but a person with these particular aspects might see it as more of a problem and might tend to resist initiating the effort to make the required changes.
Pluto in any aspect to a personal planet means that there is an increase of consciousness due, a re-birth of sorts, with respect to that part of oneself symbolized by the other planet. This increase of consciousness may be regarded as especially necessary for one’s growth if the aspect is a conjunction, square, quincunx, or opposition. In other words, the dimension of experience symbolized by the planet in aspect to Pluto needs to be transformed into a higher or more conscious level of expression. Among the more dynamic aspects, the conjunction, square, and quincunx usually indicate an inner tension and challenge which we can either accept as something we must face with full intensity and commitment, or which we can try to avoid or run away from. The other “dynamic” aspect involving Pluto, the opposition, usually indicates that compulsive, demanding, and willful tendencies interfere quite regularly with the development of certain relationships in our lives. The other planet involved and the houses wherein the planets fall usually give enough information that the specific type of relationship where this problem is focused can be understood. It is my experience that people with Pluto oppositions very rarely realize the fact that it is their own subtle demands—demands that the other person be different from what he or she truly is—that create the relationship problems. In fact, since Pluto by nature is usually indicative of a certain complex of compulsive, unconscious tendencies, it is not surprising that the majority of people with whom I have dealt cannot immediately identify with the compulsive behavior patterns indicated by Pluto in their charts. It is only when people have taken definite steps toward an honest—even ruthless!—self-examination that they become conscious enough of their own deeper feelings and motivations to be able to relate to the meaning of Pluto in their own charts. And the tension of the” difficult” Pluto aspects can then generate the ability to express the Pluto energy in a particularly dynamic way.
Trines and sextiles can mean that one easily expresses the Pluto energy in a creative way; but this is not necessarily always true. These aspects do show that the channel is open for the expression of that energy; but, if the energy is still unrefined, still unregenerated, these aspects can simply mean that one can rather easily express the negative, compulsive side of Pluto’s power. For example, I once had a consultation with a woman who has Pluto in her ninth house in exact trine to her Moon. Pluto in the ninth house can signify rigidly compulsive opinions and beliefs that have been carried over from a past incarnation; and this is one of the usual meanings of Pluto in the ninth until a transformation of one’s ultimate beliefs has taken place. This particular woman repeatedly defeated her groping attempts at growth by clinging to these rigid beliefs. There was no logic to her ideas, nor were they based on any kind of personal revelation or intuition. Her pattern of believing and the resulting opinions seemed to be simply a kind of past conditioning from which she had difficulty freeing herself. No matter how dissatisfied with her present life she was, and no matter what alternative ways of dealing with life were presented to her, she was always able to call upon some inflexible belief which she could use as an excuse for not taking any risk or personal responsibility to change her life. Hence, even though the aspect with Pluto in this case is a “harmonious” one, it seems to indicate merely that she is able to express her self-defeating attitudes and opinions with comparative ease. It is only when she has gone through a transformative process in this area of her life, when she succeeds in leaving behind these inhibiting compulsions, that this trine can begin to manifest creatively.
Pluto aspects can also give us a clue about how a person uses his or her will power and concentrated mental power. Although one must be careful in applying general principles to an individual person, I feel certain that the conjunctions, squares, and oppositions tend toward a willful sort of behavior, in which the person will often try to overpower the will of another person rather ruthlessly. These same aspects, however, can also show the potential for developing an extremely powerful inner strength and courage, if the individual succeeds in becoming aware of his or her tendency toward a misuse of power and brings it under conscious control. If the Pluto power is expressed creatively, the person can exhibit great self-discipline, unshakable dedication to spiritual development, and a strong sense of resourcefulness.
Another insight into the meaning of Pluto and its aspects became apparent to me when I was listening to a lecture by Richard Ideman, a well known astrologer and lecturer. He related Pluto to the concept of “taboo” and to the fears that people experience in relation to such socially-forbidden realms. This concept of “taboo” is a very useful one, for it explains a great deal about not only Pluto but also the significance of the eighth house and the deeper nature of the sign Scorpio. For example, it has become clear to me that Scorpionic and Plutonian people are particularly susceptible to paranoia in one degree or another. One of the reasons for this deep inner terror is, as I mentioned earlier, the fact that such people don’t readily trust other people or their own feelings and motivations. But another reason for this paranoia and the behavioral and relationship problems resulting from such fear is that the person often feels guilty about breaking social, moral, or familial taboos. There is an extremely intense attraction-repulsion conflict which Plutonian people feel about taboo areas of life. And, whether they actually experiment directly by acting out their interest in these taboo areas of life or whether they merely think about such things but repress the desire to act them out, these people are often troubled by feelings of guilt and by the inner conviction that they will have to pay for such transgressions. It seems to me that the people who refuse to confront their true desires through some kind of direct action are the ones most likely to suffer from the inner stagnation, negativity, and paranoia which can flourish in a severely repressed individual. At least if the person acts out his or her true desires, the taboos and the emotional attachments to those activities are brought into the light so that the person can begin to take full responsibility for his or her deeper feelings.
How can we take this concept of “taboo” and apply it to the understanding of specific aspects with Pluto? In all aspects involving Pluto—especially the conjunction, square, and opposition—the individual feels the pressure to confront a certain taboo. This forbidden area may be sexual, religious, ethical, familial, social, or a combination of some or all of these areas of life. The first impulse in most people is to try to control this tendency by repression. However, many people eventually find that this pent-up transformative power impels them to confront the taboos and to break through their restrictions. It seems to me that some sort of break-through is usually necessary in order to achieve in conscious life the transformation shown as potential in the aspect configuration. The taboos must be confronted since all the psychic garbage, fears, attachments, and negativity have to be brought to the surface in order to be outgrown or transmuted. How can one escape from a prison if one has no knowledge of the structure of the prison, how the various locks work, when the guards are off duty, etc.? Everything must be faced with great immediacy. Some people who have the “stressful” aspects of Pluto to the personal planets sense the overwhelming power of that subterranean force and become terrified of being overpowered by it and of losing control (a control which they don’t really have to the extent that they think anyhow!). They often respond to this fear by trying even harder to ruthlessly manipulate others, to repress their emotions with an iron will, and to deny the existence of this force. This kind of response of course merely increases the tension already being felt and ultimately aggravates the problem. This kind of repression, by the way, often manifests eventually as the person acting like one “possessed,” l.e., acting in a compulsive manner and driven by forces which are totally unconscious. The person is in fact possessed. He is possessed by an intense desire which he refuses to acknowledge. As long as he continues to function assuming that “where there’s a will, there’s a way,” this “might makes right” attitude will cause him no end of trouble. In fact, the reason Pluto, Scorpio, and the Eighth House are so connected with transformation is that they have to do with the power of desires, the desires which forge our attachments, the desires that still motivate us compulsively. Getting to the heart of these feelings, penetrating to the source of these desires and their implications can illuminate not only our everyday experience but also the karmic patterns of this lifetime.
14 Pluto’s connection with the “underworld” seems to be borne out by people’s experiences during Pluto transits; for in some cases, either things or people disappear from sight as if they were taken from the earth’s surface into the underworld; in other cases, one has old things or people one was once involved with reappear; sometimes there is a disappearance and later reappearance during the long period of Pluto’s repeated transits of a particular point. And the connection with the underworld is also borne out in cases where a person experiences contact with the criminal element during this time. Patricia Hearst is a good example of both types of occurrences since she disappeared into the underworld as Pluto was nearly conjuncting her natal Moon. Contacts with the criminal underworld are also common when someone is born with strong natal aspects involving Pluto and the Sun, and sometimes with other personal planets also.