As we have discussed already, the daily motions of the personal planets, the Sun, and the Moon can help us with everyday life. Contemplating life’s big questions—such as how to apply your talents, how to figure out your life’s purpose, and what is meaningful to you—requires looking at the transpersonal planets, Jupiter and Saturn, as well as the outer planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. All these planets stay in one sign from one to twenty years, depending on the planet; their effects are longer lasting than the hurried transits of Mercury, Venus, and Mars. Jupiter and Saturn help us set down roots and direct attention to where we can grow and develop. Uranus shakes us up and surprises us. Neptune attunes us to ideals and teaches us about our illusions. Pluto carves out deep emotional growth and power dynamics.
One of the advantages of astrology is that it is a multilevel art. You can pay attention to everyday reality, while using the poetry, meaning, and essences of the planets to inform yourself about the cosmic harmonies in the world. If you are open to all experiences, then the planets help you to interpret and plan ahead for your personal development.
Let’s look at Jupiter. Jupiter’s meaning is the principle of expansion, and he is called the greater benefic. Jupiter has always been associated with the more joyous aspects of life, a positive attitude, and all manner of optimism. Astrologers breathe easily with Jupiter aspects and transits because that is the good-news department of the chart. At the least, Jupiter can help give you a positive outlook, which goes a long way to plowing through some of the tough stretches of life.
Jupiter offers us the possibility of deep philosophical and spiritual wisdom as well. He not only indicates good times, but also helps define our outlook on life and the philosophy behind our actions. Whether or not we are conscious of them, we all have beliefs that inform our choices. In addition to our astrological character traits, we have beliefs that come from our upbringing and from the society around us. Some may be carried over from past lives. Jupiter also defines our religious views, whether they are part of an organized religion or an individual spiritual practice.
Presently, American society is adamantly materialistic, yet we see people yearning for some philosophy, activity, or belief system that takes them out of the malls and brings meaning, peace, and joy to their lives. Jupiter’s position in a chart expresses where we will begin to investigate this spiritual basis for our lives. When people feel connected to a larger philosophy and are working to improve the planet, they feel rooted and patient.
The sign placement of natal Jupiter is a clue to your basic orientation in life. Remember that Jupiter originally ruled both Sagittarius and Pisces. Although now Neptune is Pisces’s ruler, it is always important to remember the ancient rulerships. The next time your dreamy Pisces friend has a scheme to begin an animal shelter or give away all his or her money to the poor, you will be able to recall that Jupiter definitely influences Pisces. That original rulership is important in understanding and interpreting the nature of Jupiter. Both Pisces and Sagittarius have philosophical interests. Pisces, however, is the more mystical sign and Sagittarius the more philosophical. Pisces quests through feelings and dreams; Sagittarius quests through enthusiasm and philosophy.
The word enthusiasm is derived from the Greek entheos, which means to infuse with theos, or God. When we are enthusiastic, we connect with an energy that can move us forward effortlessly. We have more power because we are eagerly anticipating the next chapter of any project. People whose charts are strongly influenced by Jupiter have a concentration of Sagittarius or Pisces planets, Jupiter in an angular house, or Sagittarius or Pisces rising.
When Jupiter is in a sign antithetical to his nature, we can expect that the Jupiterian buoyancy and optimism in life do not come as easily, or his gifts are squandered and mishandled. Jupiter in Gemini is a good example. This placement emphasizes mental and verbal activity so much that a person can talk away all their good intentions and plans and throw their positive energy to the winds. Excess is part of Jupiter’s exuberance and enthusiasm, but other signs have an easier time balancing Jupiter’s excesses. When Jupiter is in Capricorn, Saturn’s sign, for example, a person can seem either overly cautious or prudently optimistic. The sign placement of the planets always leaves room for your individual temperament and choice.
When Jupiter trines or sextiles or conjuncts a natal planet, it gives ease to the expression of that planet. With the hard aspects, the square and opposition, Jupiter offers protection to those planets and mitigates difficulties.
When Jupiter is retrograde in a natal chart, a person usually emphasizes the more philosophical and internal meanings of Jupiter. The person’s value system may be more concerned with intangible accomplishments than material accomplishments. Many traditional books interpret Jupiter retrograde to mean that a person cannot attract the money he or she needs. This isn’t necessarily true. The retrograde position could mean, however, that a person values satisfying but not particularly lucrative occupations and endeavors. Jupiter retrograde sometimes indicates that a person chooses to emphasize nonmaterial goals.
When you examine Jupiter, pay special attention to his natal house position as well as his natal sign. The house position will show the area of life that receives Jupiter’s buoyant and optimistic influence. This can be either through a person’s own efforts or by what they attract in life. Jupiter in the Seventh House of marriage, for example, means that that person will attract a marriage or marriages that will benefit them. When Jupiter is in the Second House of money, students often say, “Oh great, Jupiter in the Second House. That means you’ll be rich.” It could mean that. However, I have seen many clients with that Jupiter placement who attract money but cannot hold on to it. A better interpretation for Jupiter in the Second House would be that you have a free-flowing, optimistic attitude toward money. Without looking at the details of Jupiter’s house placement, you can say that wherever Jupiter is located you will have blessings and optimism.
When Jupiter changes from one house through his transit to another, you will find there is a shift in emphasis in your life. It is as if Jupiter leaves one country, and in going to another, he brings his light to that area of life for the next year. If you have an intercepted house, then Jupiter will remain in that area for longer than a year. Applying your knowledge of the house meanings, you can readily identify which area of your chart Jupiter is enlivening. Where he will be traveling next can inform your decisions of where to place your emphasis. Since Jupiter aspects your planets for longer periods of time, it is worthwhile to note what his aspects are to your natal Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Jupiter conjuncting any of these planets gives an energy boost and emphasizes a positive expression to that planet. As always, with Jupiter, it can also indicate excess. During a Jupiter conjunction to Neptune, you may be extremely sensitive to your dreams or daydreams. The phrase “head in the clouds” is particularly appropriate at this time. A Jupiter or Neptune transit encourages flights of fantasy, but this is also the time to check in with Saturn to make sure your dreams can be brought down to earth.
The trine facilitates Jupiter’s energy with your natal placements. The square lets you know that there is a challenge with the two aspect energies; the square will tell you that now is not the time to spend money or energy imprudently. The opposition means that you have to balance the seesaw and pay attention to both planets. When you are interpreting transits, concentrate on the major aspects. Examining the uncommon aspects will give finesse and refinement to interpretations, but it would be rare for a semisextile, quincunx, or quintile to be the harbinger of a major event.
A Jupiter cycle takes about twelve years to complete. Every twelve years Jupiter returns to your natal position. That means at age twelve, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight, sixty, seventy-two, eighty-four, and ninety-six, that person will have a Jupiter return. It is always interesting to track developments in a person’s life to see if these years correspond with honors, recognition, or fortunate life events. A Jupiter return is only one cycle operating in one’s life. If a chart is strongly attuned to Jupiter, these years will resonate more clearly. Watch your own chart and see what occurs during these times.
Jupiter’s twelve-year cycle means that every twelve years, a person experiences a Jupiter return. This is when Jupiter returns to the sign and house of his birth. It means that during the past twelve years Jupiter has gone through all the possible aspects with the other planets in your chart and has now completed one part of a journey. For the year that Jupiter stays in your natal sign and house, you can expect the meanings of the sign and the house that Jupiter is located in to bring blessings and fruition. If other parts of the chart are taking you through muddy waters, the Jupiter return will give you a direction for joy and aid. During a Jupiter return, for example, one client was offered a full-time job and then found out that because of another employee’s manipulation, the job was for only six months. He was crushed, but took the part-time position. Shortly after Jupiter was making his return, my client was promoted to another position and then paid for the entire year.
The retrograde of Jupiter usually occurs once a year. Check your ephemeris, astro clock, or app to note when Jupiter goes retrograde. As you have seen with the other planets, the retrograde time internalizes the meaning of the planet. When Jupiter is retrograde, his normal flow of optimism is more inward. In the world, the stock market may slow down; money and philanthropy could be tight. Individuals usually hold off on purchases. Jupiter is gathering steam, and when he turns direct, material and spiritual life flow. The major activity to avoid during a Jupiter retrograde is beginning or opening a business or any endeavor designed to make a profit. You will find that either your expectations are too high or the business doesn’t flourish.
Saturn is our taskmaster. Contrary to Jupiter’s expansiveness, Saturn represents the principle of contraction. Saturn reins you in and forces you to structure life and be concrete about your dreams and plans. Considered the Lord of Time, Saturn was the farthest planet that could be seen with the naked eye in ancient times. When Saturn and his natural sign, Capricorn, dominate a chart, you know that this person is determined and diligent and must cultivate humor and lightness. A team of Saturn and Jupiter people can accomplish a lot if they don’t drive each other nuts by the very different thrusts of their natures. This planet is not cheery, and describing a person’s temperament as saturnine means that he or she is cautious, slow, sometimes worried, and very aware of consequences. If you need to plan for any eventuality on a camping trip, consult your Capricorn friend. Capricorn will effortlessly bring gear for all types of weather and make sure you have the latest equipment in working order. Capricorn will plan the route, so relax and enjoy the scenery knowing that everything is well organized.
Saturn is the planet of hierarchy. Saturn tells you that you must proceed step-by-step. Jupiter’s danger is in excessive exuberance; projects aren’t accomplished, because boredom sets in. Saturn’s danger, in contrast, is overcautiousness, keeping everything in the planning stage, not moving ahead.
Saturn also describes the way the world works. Society is conservative and not always friendly to people or activities that go against its institutions. The placement of Saturn in your chart describes how you address these areas. Surprise successes do happen, but usually when you have laid the groundwork. Saturn is the reality check, and you should revel in his expertise, though it may not always feel pleasurable. Saturn suffers from a bad rep because we all tend to worry when we have difficult Saturn aspects or transits. It is important to remember that Saturn is exalted in Libra, which is the sign of balance, fairness, partnerships, and sociability. Enjoying good times and sharing jokes about the enormity of life’s possibilities is one way of gracefully addressing Saturn in your chart.
Look at Saturn to see how easily a person can integrate this sign’s gravity and structuring energy. The four elements help to immediately identify how easily Saturn can express himself. In Capricorn and Aquarius, we know that Saturn feels at home. Remember, while Aquarius is ruled by Uranus, Saturn is also a strong influence. This tone will be part of the sign’s makeup. In the earth signs, Saturn facilitates orderly and concrete expression, which is consistent with his mission—the mission to keep life’s experiences within the framework of your soul lessons. Saturn in the air signs creates order in a person’s thinking. In today’s society, where our concentration span is challenged daily by media assault, being an orderly thinker is a challenge but can lead to effective action. Saturn in fire is an uneasy fit. Fire wants Jupiterian enthusiasm and Saturn says, “Go slow.” Saturn in fire can accomplish a great deal of work, but fire wants to burn freely and feels smothered by Saturn’s demands. Their temperaments are not a harmonious fit. Lastly, Saturn in water signs is an easy fit only when a person’s feelings flow naturally toward structure and dependability. This is usually not the case, so people with Saturn in water resent the hierarchy and lack of spontaneity that Saturn encourages.
When Saturn conjuncts any planet in your chart, this is where you feel serious, grounded, and measured. Saturn delays the expression of the planets he conjuncts, but he does not necessarily deny their benefits. When Saturn trines your planets, then you feel easy with the demands of those planets. For example, Saturn trine Venus brings social and romantic encounters that are very traditional. Saturn trine Venus may also mean that you feel comfortable with older people both socially and romantically. When Saturn forms a sextile with a planet, it means there will be opportunities in life that will come your way to enhance your psychological and material development. When Saturn opposes a personal planet, the message is clear: Whenever you try and behave in an irresponsible way, Saturn will pull you back and require you to check things out more thoroughly.
Lastly, let’s consider the uncomfortable Saturn square. This is a powerhouse aspect because of the challenge it offers a person. The planets squaring Saturn rub, chafe, and fight for expression. This is the aspect that drives people to persevere even when they believe they have tried everything. It also delays gratification for a person’s efforts. Natal Saturn square Mars, for example, is a tough aspect because Mars wants to assert himself and Saturn keeps putting on the brakes. When you consider the squares in your own chart, or that of others, you can feel compassion because you can see so clearly how people fight to realize their abilities. Saturn will take you where you need to go, and the aspects tell you how much difficulty you will encounter along the way. The secret is always to enjoy the ride.
Saturn is a slow-moving planet, and he retrogrades for around four or five months every year. This means that many people are born with Saturn retrograde. The usual interpretation of a planet’s energy being internalized is not useful with Saturn, because no one has an outgoing, exuberant Saturn. It is antithetical to the nature of the planet. When we see a retrograde Saturn in a natal chart, it can be a clue to some health condition that needs to be monitored or a tendency to blocking emotions and walling up. Basically, the most important feature of a natal retrograde Saturn is the year it turns direct in the chart. This will be discussed more closely in Chapter 5.
Saturn’s natal house has a large impact on a person’s life direction. The house in which Saturn is located will tell you where you will encounter delays and frustration, and where you need to proceed in a structured, measured way. Saturn in the angular houses gives a Capricorn feeling to the personality. One woman with Saturn in the Seventh House married for the first time at age forty-four to a Capricorn man who was in his mid-thirties. Do you see how Saturn in the Seventh House describes perfectly her marriage and marriage partner? Saturn in the Twelfth House usually means that much of a person’s expression in life is hampered by unconscious currents that could be from a past-life influence. When Saturn is in the Second House, attracting material abundance will be challenging. Saturn does not always have a negative interpretation. Saturn has to be somewhere in a natal chart, and what you are learning is the subtlety of how each of the planets informs and describes a person’s life.
Saturn spends approximately two and a half years in any sign. This means that all aspects that transiting Saturn forms in your chart will endure for at least a year. It also means that the house that Saturn is transiting will be very important in terms of understanding which areas of life need organizing and serious attention during that transit. For example, when Saturn is in the Sixth House, you may need to pay more attention to your health and to work very hard, sometimes without proper appreciation. When Saturn is passing through the Tenth House, a person can receive recognition for long service—or encounter delays and frustrations in realizing his or her career.
In addition to transiting Saturn’s house position, note in your personal chart transiting Saturn’s aspects to all your planets. While Jupiter expands the nature of the planet he aspects, Saturn contracts it and puts a lid on that planet’s expression. For example, Saturn transiting in hard aspects (square or opposition) to Mars means that your vital energy is cramped. This is a time to do gentle physical exercise, because when Saturn puts the lid on Mars energy, the resulting tension can lead to injury. When Saturn forms a hard aspect with Venus, don’t expect a lot of social activity. When Saturn forms a hard aspect with the Sun, life feels heavy. During a Saturn conjunction to your Moon by transit, you may find that personal relationships are ending. Saturn in hard aspect to Mercury deepens thought, but may lead you to brood on depressing topics and life.
Once you have scoped out transiting Saturn’s aspects to the personal planets, make a list of his aspects to Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Saturn in a hard aspect to Jupiter forces you to plan; Saturn in easy aspect says you have the realistic grounding necessary to play well with Jupiter’s benefits. Saturn in a hard aspect to Uranus is not comfortable. Uranus says to explode; Saturn says to contain. Find some activity that will appeal to your sense of adventure, but keep a watchful eye for danger or chaos. Transiting Saturn in hard aspect to Uranus reminds me of when I was a child and my sisters and I would get wound up and crazy during whatever game we were playing. As the noise grew louder, we could count on my father’s voice booming: “Someone’s going to get hurt. Calm down!” We were Uranus, and he was Saturn. Saturn’s hard aspects to Neptune can be productive because Saturn’s realism tempers Neptune’s idealism. The soft aspects facilitate our dreams and spiritual concerns. If you have a tendency to become involved with fraudulent or overly idealistic projects that could involve your time and money, Saturn in hard aspect to Neptune will help you think twice about such opportunities. Saturn-Pluto aspects represent power struggles with authority. In this section I have elaborated on Saturn’s hard aspects because they are the difficult ones. When transiting Saturn is making easy aspects in your chart, this is the green light for proceeding with whatever projects you have in development. You could also take a break and relax.
The aspects between transiting Saturn and your natal Saturn are particularly important. Saturn squares your natal Saturn at age seven, opposes it at age fourteen, squares it again at age twenty-one, conjuncts it at ages twenty-nine or thirty (the first Saturn return), forms another square to it at age thirty-seven, opposes it at age forty-four, and squares it yet again at around age fifty-one. The second Saturn return occurs at around ages fifty-eight or fifty-nine. Let’s also look at the soft, or easy, aspects. At age five, you have the Saturn sextile to your natal Saturn; at age ten, the trine; another trine at age nineteen; and a sextile at age twenty-five. During these years, you incorporate and enjoy the growth you have accomplished during the harder aspects. For Saturn cycles we use the broad strokes of the basic aspects. If you are interested in tracking Saturn’s semisextile, semisquare, quincunx, and quintile, you might find interesting subtleties in your chart and life’s events.
Notice that the years of a Saturn cycle correspond with definite developmental stages recognized in popular culture. The seven-year itch is a phrase used to describe a time when people are restless in their work or relationship and in need of a change. Every seven years, Saturn squares or opposes your natal Saturn and knocks on the door to see if you are going where you need to go. In the Bible, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream about the seven full ears of corn and the seven withered ears of corn to mean there would be seven lean years and seven fruitful years of harvest. This was Joseph’s intuitive understanding of Saturn’s cycle…or perhaps he was also an astrologer.
One popular saying in the 1960s was “Don’t trust anyone over thirty.” It perfectly reflected the Saturn return because people over thirty at that time had left behind their freewheeling, hippie lifestyles. Once you are thirty, you have completed the first Saturn return and have begun to incorporate ideals with practical considerations. You now have your two feet on the ground and can choose what you are going to do with your life. With the amount of education and material comfort many people in the US have available, the Saturn return is a fitting age to declare maturity. Although twenty-one is the legal age for many things in the US, more people are making major life decisions after their Saturn return.
Saturn retrogrades once a year and, as previously stated, stays retrograde for about four or five months. That means that whenever Saturn is making an aspect by transit to a planet in your natal chart, you could get three knocks before the transit finishes. This can be interpreted as the wake-up call, the attitude adjustment, and the finishing of the job. Look at Chart 3 and see if you can track with your ephemeris when transiting Saturn formed his first conjunction to this person’s natal Saturn. The first time was on March 14, 1988, which would have been the wake-up call. Saturn moved on and retrograded on April 11, 1988.
You can see in the ephemeris that Saturn’s degrees then got smaller, and on May 9, 1988, this person had a second exact aspect with transiting Saturn. This is the attitude adjustment. Ideally, between March and May, the person would have begun to look at what was not working or could work better in her life’s plan. Saturn then continued to retrograde and, by the end of August, went direct to make his last conjunction (or finishes the job) on November 30, 1988. This person had finished the Saturn return and would not encounter it again until age fifty-eight.
The retrograde motion of Saturn also applies to all other aspects. If you pay attention to your ephemeris, you will see how many exact aspects Saturn makes and you can chart your progress accordingly.
I want to write a bit more specifically about the Saturn return because it is the first major astrological cycle that a person experiences in life. It occurs around age twenty-eight or thirty and is always completed by age thirty-one. The cycle means that transiting Saturn returns to the position he was in when a person was born. The Saturn return is the first astrological diagnostic tool you have to see if a person’s life is on course. If you experience a great deal of tumult and change around age twenty-eight or twenty-nine, the purpose is to move you in a direction more in keeping with your inner nature. If, at that time in your life, you continued moving in the same direction with some added responsibilities such as a marriage, children, or work responsibilities, then you can conclude that your actions and life are in harmony with your chart. If Saturn return experiences are difficult, the best approach is to realize that you may have been a little cavalier in your attitudes and may not have been paying attention to consequences.
Ask yourself this question: Am I where I want to be in all phases of my life? If not, what do I need to change to get there, and how can I plan that route step-by-step? The Saturn return is not the time to daydream that one day you will miraculously find yourself with the job, partner, friends, career, and children that you want. The Saturn return is the time to say, “I am here, in the driver’s seat, and this is where I am going in my life.”
The best antidote to Saturn’s weight is silliness. Seek out silliness and you will feel lighter during your Saturn return or when Saturn makes tough aspects in your chart.
Before you learn about the outer planets—Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto—it is a good idea to adjust expectations. Consideration of these planets requires a different mind-set than when addressing the personal and transpersonal planets. To begin to understand the outer planets, you should think wide. The outer planets tell us about generations of people and states of spiritual evolution. Not everyone will respond to aspects with the outer planets in the same way. Most people are concerned with their own circle of life and not interested in too much outside of it. Astrology students, on the other hand, are interested in exploring different ways of knowing. Intuition, right-brained thinking, clairvoyance, ESP, dreams, and all the occult subjects are ways to approach life, and are experienced in a nonlinear, nonquantitative fashion. The influence of the outer planets, especially Uranus, is very strong among students of astrology. In her book Astrology: A Cosmic Science, Isabel M. Hickey uses the term higher octave for Uranus and Neptune. Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury, and Neptune is the higher octave of Venus. The octave is a note that is the same as a lower note, but it has twice the vibrations.
As people develop psychologically and spiritually, they change their vibrations. Students of meditation find that after periods of study, they sometimes can intuit or sense people’s thoughts. This experience is the higher octave of communication. For example, speaking is the regular range of communication, and having an intuition or a flash of insight into something when you understand without words is a higher-octave communication. With these thoughts in mind, let’s look at the outer planets.
Uranus is called the “higher octave of Mercury” because the kind of mental agility and electrifying nature of Uranus in a chart is Mercury at warp speed. Isabel M. Hickey states: “Mercury is intellect and Uranus is intuition.” Mercury can think through a problem, but Uranus can intuit the problem and leap to a solution immediately. For example, many doctors are good and careful diagnosticians. They look at tests and conclude what the medical problem is. An intuitive doctor or a healer with a strong Uranus influence can make a diagnosis based on his or her insights, while the more cautious Mercury-influenced doctor cannot understand how that doctor leapt to such an instinct-led diagnosis. Frequently, intuitive thinkers themselves have no clue how they reached their goal. Uranus is uncontrollable. When someone falls in love at first sight, gets married after three days, and then divorced after two months, Uranus’s influence is probably at work. Earthquakes and natural disasters are Uranian in nature. Sudden strokes of good fortune belong to Uranus’s surprising energy. Winning the lottery or encountering a fast business deal with a lot of activity and not much staying power are also Uranian events. The nervous system is ruled by Uranus. People who have a strong Uranus influence must take care of their health. They can blow a fuse if they encounter too much stimulation or stress.
When Uranus is strong in a chart, people are highly individualistic and even eccentric. They enjoy shaking up stereotypes and pursuing their own idiosyncratic path. Uranus sparks our interest with out-of-the-blue, unusual thoughts and possibilities. Uranian influences also give bursts of creativity that are unexplainable. There can be a manic quality to these bursts, as if a person were possessed by energies from another dimension, but Uranus can also usher the person who experiences this to another plane of consciousness.
More commonly, Uranus’s influence shakes up routines and prevents us from falling into a rut. In terms of spiritual development, Uranus helps us detach from our everyday habits and embrace being centered in the present. We learn with Uranus’s influence what we can or cannot control.
Uranus has been particularly noteworthy in the last thirty years as he heralds in the age of Aquarius. There is disagreement in astrological circles about exactly when this long astrological cycle began, but whether you believe we are at the end of Pisces or at the beginning of Aquarius, clearly the present time offers unprecedented technological advances, social experimentation, and challenges to long-held beliefs and institutions. The rapid expansion of information and technology that we see now has been changing many of our ideas about family, society, fertility, and the nature of life itself. Cloning, stem cell research, and other medical procedures that press against the boundaries of what we assumed to be “life” are all under the aegis of Uranus.
I’d like to change the format for examining Uranus in the signs, because it is more important to see how Uranus operates in the chart instead of categorizing Uranus as comfortable in one element or sign and not another. Uranus is Aquarius’s ruler, and all the other air signs express the rapid mental connections and mind changes that typify the planet’s energy. Uranus is said to be in detriment in Leo because typically the warmhearted and personally dramatic sign of Leo is not comfortable with a detached mental planet. Leo, however, also represents personal will. If Leo can begin to turn his self-will over to the higher will, then Leo can align himself with Uranus’s cosmic significance, and illumination is the result. In the other fire signs, Uranus usually can express himself well. The enthusiasm and internal energy of fire signs support Uranian energy. Can you see that Uranus operates differently according to a person’s spiritual development? Uranus in water signs leans toward acute emotionality and gushes of feeling. Lastly, the earth signs contain some of the wild Uranian energy, but no one sign can tame the uncontrollable.
Due to the fact that Uranus stays in a sign for seven years or more, the sign position of Uranus also characterizes a large group of people. Like the other two outer planets, Neptune and Pluto, Uranus is a generational planet. Uranus’s sign in a natal chart will give you indications of how an individual relates to their society and what contribution to the planet’s development they can make.
The planets that Uranus aspects in a chart will give you the best way to interpret the Uranian influence in a person’s chart. When there are close Uranus conjunctions to a planet, that planet will behave in a surprising and unique manner. Uranus in aspect to any of the personal planets gives an abrupt, uncontrollable feeling to the way the planet functions.
When Uranus aspects Venus, unusual fashion and love affairs are in evidence. Mars and Uranus combinations are explosive, and channeling that energy is very important. Uranus in hard aspect to the Sun and the Moon usually signifies that a person seeks a higher spiritual vibration in life. They may be interested in meditation or have flashes of intuition that defy conventional understanding. The generation of people born from 1963 to 1968 had Uranus conjunct Pluto in their charts. Some of these are the people of dot-com riches. Uranus describes the technology that brought forth these riches—and the suddenness of companies opening and succeeding or opening and failing.
Uranian events lack staying power, and the initial sudden prosperity bubble of Silicon Valley burst around the year 2000. Beginning in 1998 and continuing through 2003, Uranus and Neptune were both in the sign of Aquarius. It is possible that babies born at this time had many extrasensory abilities and now that they are mature, these abilities are accepted as alternative ways of knowing. Prior to this conjunction, Uranus and Neptune were conjunct in the sign of Capricorn. The people born at that time may have a very different approach to institutions and societies’ structures and will most probably prepare the way for the Aquarian future. As with all aspects, the hard ones can be challenging and the easy ones facilitate life. Uranus’s energy is basically beyond our control, but we can learn how to react positively to this fascinating and energizing planet.
Needless to say, the house position of Uranus will be a major influence in your life. Wherever he is located is an unpredictable area of life. When Uranus is angular, especially in the First and Tenth houses, your entire character will have a Uranian or Aquarian tone to it. Your personality will be unconventional, and career matters will change quickly and be involved with Uranian fields such as media, technology, or avant-garde occupations. When Uranus is in the angular Fourth House, frequently there are untimely separations through death or divorce of one of the parents. In the Seventh House, Uranus usually makes conventional marriage a dicey proposition. The couple needs lots of individual space, and living together may be better than getting married. As you examine your own chart and the charts of others, focus on what sign Uranus is in and where he is located. You will begin to see how this out of-the-blue planet operates.
Like Saturn, Uranus spends about five months retrograde every year. Many people are born with a natal Uranus retrograde. I do not interpret this retrograde position as particularly significant unless Uranus turns direct in a progressed chart. You will learn more about this in Chapter 5. It is hard to apply the usual astrological rules to Uranus because there is no way to internalize Uranus’s energy. Since Uranus spends seven years in a sign, the planets he aspects will receive his enlightening energy for a good long time. The house that Uranus is transiting through will also be a significant area for the time Uranus is there, and frequently you will notice a dramatic shift when Uranus changes houses. One client related that, after years of trying to conceive a child, as soon as Uranus moved into his Fifth House, his wife got pregnant. Uranian transits sometimes manifest through people we are close to as well as ourselves. This is important to remember when we look at chart comparisons and synastry.
The entire Uranus cycle takes eighty-four years. This is when Uranus returns to his natal position. Now that people are living longer, completing a Uranus return is more common. In the Uranus cycle, there are two important ages: twenty-one and forty-two. At twenty-one, transiting Uranus squares your natal Uranus position. Before it was lowered to eighteen in most places, this was the age of majority, which in the legal system indicates that people are of age. Remember that Saturn squares your natal Saturn at age twenty-one.
At age forty-two, when Uranus opposes your natal Uranus, there is a tendency to want to break loose from the lifestyle you were living. Some people call it a midlife crisis. It is common at this time for people to change careers, address health or healing issues, divorce, or make radical decisions about how they want to live. Some couples who for career reasons have put off raising a family decide to have children at this age. Many of the fertility techniques that exist today are definitely Uranus influenced.
At age sixty-three, there is another square, and people retire or find an occupation or interest that will take them into their old age. Uranus is the planet of divine discontent, and whenever he makes a hard aspect to your natal planets or to natal Uranus, you will not feel complacent. Of course, Uranus also forms trines and sextiles to natal Uranus and other planets in between squaring, opposing, and conjuncting the planets in your chart. The tempo of Uranian events now slows, and this is a time to enjoy the awakened insights you have gained.
Neptune, the dissolver, is the next outer planet. It is considered to be the higher octave of Venus, and, among other things, it pertains to divine love rather than personal and romantic love. In ancient Greek there is a difference between agape, which means the cordial and deep regard one person feels for another, and eros, which means romantic and sexual love. Neptune can be difficult to describe because the energies are ineffable and slippery. The true meaning of Neptune is the dissolution of the ego, but here on Earth you cannot really do that. With this in mind, I will give you an impression of Neptune.
Neptune clouds your judgment and promotes self-sacrifice and sometimes martyrdom. She is, as you know, associated with Pisces. When Neptune is prominent in the chart, a person lives on different planes. This could be in the realm of artistic imagination or escapism through alcohol and drugs. The entire art of cinema is ruled by Neptune. Here, we see the heights of great imagination that have stirred our hearts—and we see many casualties among film stars and actors who are unable to differentiate between fantasy and reality. Neptune rules medicinal and recreational drugs. Oil, liquid, and natural resources are also Neptunian. Neptune does not have solid boundaries. It is Neptune that gives us a feeling of religious awe and oneness with God or a deity in mystical experiences, and it is Neptune that rules all cults where an individual is swept away by an ideal, guru, or mission. Poets, saints, and visionaries are all Neptunian. For those who are touched by this planet of higher love, negotiating the world of appearances and tangible realities can be difficult. We all need escapes and places to renew ourselves, but the trick is always to take the journey and then return to reality, living with all the imperfections and hubbub that life encompasses. Other words used in reference to Neptune are illusion and idealism.
Mother Teresa was a Neptunian figure who worked among the poor of Calcutta. She was a tough bargainer, a fierce warrior for her cause, and a divinely practical person regarding getting food and goods for those who were disadvantaged. Her mission was Neptune; the way she got there was Saturn. On an everyday level, you will not notice Neptune’s effects unless you are involved with illusionary schemes. When people are in business deals together and share Neptunian aspects, one or the other will feel that something is not clear or that there are currents that are subtly undermining the partnership, but it is difficult to pinpoint these currents because they are vague. These partnerships end in fraud or misunderstandings. If two people are involved in a Neptunian project—such as a religious retreat or a conference to build understanding—and their hearts are attuned to a spiritual cause, then Neptune can promote harmony because she dissolves ego concerns and promotes working together.
Isn’t it interesting to see how studying astrology can lead you into large thoughts about the kind of world we live in and how we exist on the planet? A belief system can be very individual and no one can dissuade a person from those beliefs. Neptune’s influence can fine-tune your views and ideals.
For example, one of the greatest American trance mediums was Edgar Cayce, who was born March 18, 1877, and lived until 1945. He had a stellium of the Sun, Mercury, Venus, and Saturn in Pisces. Neptune was his ruling planet, and all of his readings were done while he was asleep, a Neptunian activity. He could not consciously control his gift and did not remember what he said while he was in a trance. His secretary wrote down Cayce’s words and passed them on to the people who requested readings. He created a center in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where people could heal based upon his readings. Cayce was also an excellent example of a scrupulous man who never refused to do a reading for someone in need even if they could not pay. Today there are numerous centers throughout the world that study Cayce’s readings and try to implement his simple and healthful cures.
Psychics and channelers who are usually strongly influenced by Neptune are becoming more accepted, but it is also important to realize that people only eager for profit are not necessarily attuned to the higher value of divine love. When a healer charges an outrageous amount of money for readings, it is a misuse of the healing energy. People who are interested in developing their Neptunian side need to think about what they are doing when they follow someone who purports to have powers to translate words from inspired masters, or another galaxy.
Neptune spends fourteen years in a sign and, as with Uranus, the sign she is in will define a large group of people. Neptune rules Pisces, and she is comfortable with all of the water signs. The detriment and fall position for Neptune are Virgo and Capricorn, respectively.
Neptune feels contained and dull in the earth signs. They are simply too concrete a vibration for Neptune. Neptune in the fire signs can express enthusiasm, but the fire signs may feel doused by the watery nature of Neptune. Fire signs are usually intuitive, and this suits Neptune, but they are also egotistical, which is contrary to the Neptunian vibration. Lastly, the air signs give a mental emphasis to Neptune and can communicate in words some of Neptune’s more positive traits. In an individual’s chart, pay attention to the element occupied by Neptune; try to understand what kind of experiences that person undergoes in relation to that element. The highest purpose for Neptune in a chart is to loosen the restricting bonds of materialism and possessiveness so we can swim in an infinite sea of love.
When Neptune is in a hard aspect (square or opposition) with any of your personal planets, you will find a battle between heightened reality and concrete reality. The Sun conjunct Neptune gives a person great optimism and faith that can move mountains. But there is a fine line between faith and naiveté. Neptunian people must constantly check and see whether their faith is leading them well; the essential quality of faith is belief, and when you have that quality, it is difficult to recognize that devotion to ideals may cloud your judgment. The hard aspects challenge a person’s blind spots and teach them clarity and discernment.
Flowing Neptunian aspects give an easy trust that life will unfold as it should. These people are usually extremely generous and pleasant to be around because they give so much.
Wherever Neptune is located is where a person’s highest ideals and human weak points are located. Neptune leads us forward with her vague, hazy promise of growth but usually makes us come in contact with experiences that force us to ground our ideals—and not be swept away by them. Neptune longs for the skies and for transcendence but needs to have grounding in order to reach them.
If Neptune is angular, a person tends to be attracted to activities that will involve service and generosity. If there are not enough Saturn influences in the chart, the person could also be involved with criminal or illusionary activities that create difficulties, to say the least. In Neptune’s positive expression, a person may have a calling for the medical or social work fields. Angular Neptune could also mean a person is involved with the film world.
When Neptune is in the Fourth House or Tenth House, there was something hazy in the home during a person’s developmental years. Sometimes, Neptune in the Fourth House means that the mother was addicted to alcohol or involved with drugs. People drink or take drugs because they want an experience beyond everyday reality. Usually these people are very creative, but they get mixed up and believe that dampening their senses will lead them into the oblivion and pleasure they seek.
When dealing with Neptune in a person’s chart, you should consider whether a person is an “old soul,” indicated by the number of aspects with the outer planets, or a soul beginning its spiritual journey. This will give you the correct interpretation for Neptune effects on the chart. One person’s illusion is another person’s meditation. Neptune is subtle, and trying to pin her down is like holding on to water.
Neptune spends fourteen years in a sign; her transits are long and subtle. If you have determined that Neptune’s influence is strong in your chart, then you can expect that Neptune’s transits will register strongly with you, but don’t expect big events. That is more Uranus’s department. When transiting Neptune is forming any hard aspect with planets in the Sixth or Twelfth houses, you can expect that you will be very susceptible to toxins in the environment or challenges to your immune system. This is always a time to pay attention to drinking high-quality water and avoiding junk food and anything else that weakens the body. When Neptune is in a harmonious transit to or from planets in the Ninth House, you should pay attention to your dreams. If you do this, you may develop the ability to have prophetic dreams. The entire cycle of Neptune takes 168 years. Although longevity is increasing, so far no one has had a Neptune return. The opposition occurs at age eighty-four, which is also the age of a complete Uranus cycle. The most common Neptune aspect is Neptune squaring natal Neptune, which occurs between ages forty-one and forty-two. In Chart 2, this person experienced a Neptune square at age forty-one. She began living at an ashram where she concentrated on practicing yoga and meditating. She confronted some of her past drug and alcohol addictions and spent a great deal of time healing herself. Neptune’s transit helped her with her spiritual pursuits.
A retrograde Neptune in a natal chart is quite usual and, as you can probably understand, does not dramatically change the interpretation of the planet. Neptune’s energy is internal, external, and all around us. It is our reaction to this different energy and plane of consciousness that we can notice, but the planet itself is boundless.
Astrologically, Pluto is a new planet; astrologers have been studying him since 1930. In terms of the cosmos, that is very recent. When I first started reading about Pluto, authors used a word that I found mysterious, intriguing, and powerful: chthonic. Pluto is a chthonic planet. The word, which derives from the Greek chthonios, is defined as “pertaining to the deities, spirits, and other beings dwelling under the earth.” Metaphorically, the word suggests that Pluto’s effects are deep and hidden, and can offer riches if they are properly unearthed. Sometimes the riches are monetary, and sometimes they are psychological and spiritual. In Greek mythology, Pluto ruled the underworld and death. Pluto is the planet that carves out or mines the riches that an individual generation offers to the planet for further evolution. In this case, evolution pertains to the development of expanding consciousness that forces humanity to penetrate its depths and clear away what is not favorable for human advancement.
Pluto is powerful, but in order to fathom his depths and heights, you must think in terms of the balance of generations and what humanity is trying to learn. The outer planets (Pluto, Neptune, and Uranus) are energies that our consciousness can see only in a limited fashion. With Pluto we are called on to see that, despite human frailties, life must move toward the preservation and development of a humane and just society for all people.
Scorpio, the sign Pluto rules, is vitally interested in transforming darkness into light. Pluto is neither moral nor immoral, neither good nor bad: It is the application of his power that determines whether his results are positive or negative. Newton’s third law of motion states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This law of physics perfectly describes Pluto’s effects. When Plutonian power is used to further hate, anger, and destruction, it will eventually bring forth an equal and opposite good, but it will take time. Pluto’s rulership of Scorpio is a perfect description of the planet’s importance in the cycle of life and death and rebirth. When something is created, something is destroyed; and when something is destroyed, something else is created. The balance of power in the world today represents Plutonian struggle between the forces of light and dark. It takes a long time to bring all these conflicting needs into balance to move civilization forward.
People with strong Pluto aspects or influences are magnetic and charismatic. They fascinate others like the snake charmer and his cobra. They can be powerful healers and orators, religious figures, revolutionary businesspeople, and power-mongers. You have learned that Uranus is the higher octave of Mercury, and Neptune of Venus, and our last planet, Pluto, is the higher octave of Mars. This is also why Pluto rules Scorpio. Aries is Mars’s sign on a day-to-day basis, but since Scorpio delves into the very mysteries of life, it is fitting for Pluto to be her ruler. The higher-octave planets mean that the energy is in the service of changing and advancing a person’s consciousness. It also means that Pluto concerns the use and abuse of power often on a global scale.
In keeping with Pluto as Scorpio’s ruler, Pluto has a lot to do with sex. When Pluto is heavily emphasized in a chart, sexual expression may take many forms, but whatever form it takes, the energy will always be intense. There can be an emphasis on power struggles within a relationship that can indicate a submissive/dominant relationship. Some people are vitally interested in exploring intense passions and consider them essential to their life. Astrology does not judge or moralize these inclinations in a person’s chart. If the chart indicates that a person has potential for certain types of sexual expression, that is where that person can explore further. A good astrologer will, however, urge people to move through any Plutonian manifestations that are harming or challenging their lives. When Plutonian energy is balanced, the result in terms of sexuality can be intense and transforming. Pluto’s very nature encourages an exploration of power, and these experiences can be seductive.
The aspects Pluto forms in a chart are critical in informing you whether a person is especially attuned to Pluto’s vibration. When Pluto conjuncts a personal planet in the chart, you must add a Scorpio tone to the interpretation. Pluto intensifies any planet that he touches. When Pluto conjuncts the Sun or Moon, this person will have charisma and a deep need to promote his or her own significance. Such people are magnetic and can be manipulative in having their needs met. When Pluto and Venus are together, a person usually has a lot of sex appeal and a tendency toward passionate and sometimes difficult love affairs. With Pluto and Mars, it is obvious that you have a double Scorpio effect, and these people will brook no interference in their pursuits and pleasures.
When you consider the outer planets, it is very important to understand that these planets do not just indicate traumas and difficulties, but also other areas of life. Most of the world’s population is involved with fulfilling basic life requirements such as food, shelter, jobs, and the raising of a family. Some people have the luxury or the necessity to study and develop their talents and skills for their own pleasure and development. Aspects and emphasis with the outer planets usually indicate an old, experienced soul growing in a spiritual dimension. In these sections on the outer planets, phrases like “Neptunian people” have been used, or we have talked about people who are “strongly influenced” by particular planets.
How do you know when these planets are strong in a chart? The first clues are whether or not any of the outer planets are in angular houses. When you learned the strength of the different houses, this was for the purpose of evaluating where a planet is stronger and where it is weaker. Examine whether there are tight or close aspects with any of these planets. Aspects with the Sun or Moon mean that the very core of a person is attuned to Plutonian energies, and they will have the challenge of dealing with these energies. When Pluto squares a natal planet in your chart, your challenge is to keep from becoming fascinated with your internal stress and difficulties while you create your life. Pluto square Venus often means that a person has deep and sad experiences with love. Usually these experiences are karmic and meant to teach a person that his or her own integrity and wholeness comes from self-nurturing and love rather than romantic love. Pluto in hard aspect to Mars means issues with power and authority will not ultimately be successful. A criminal or person with deep problems who asserts his or her power in a destructive, antisocial manner can often have Pluto and Mars in difficult aspect. The soft or easy aspects with Pluto, such as the sextile and trine, give a person a fascinating edge according to the planet involved. Pluto trine Venus usually means that a person has a subtle, indescribable power. Even if they are not involved with hypnosis or mind-control techniques, they effortlessly influence people. For example, have you ever had a friend who always manages to get his or her own way? Even when you say to yourself, “Today, I am going to do things my way,” you end up following your friend’s plan. It usually seems more interesting, but you feel that you have been led down a path that you didn’t consciously choose. I suspect Pluto aspects here. Pluto fascinates and manipulates.
Consider Chart 7, with the heavy concentration of Scorpio planets square Pluto in Leo. According to our maximum orbs, the aspect to the Sun and Mercury is not a square. This stellium, however, is so concentrated that there is a “spillover” effect with the Sun and Mercury even though they are technically out of orb. This person is devilishly charming. He projects a very strong image, and he has been very successful in life; however, he always tries to top anything you say. If you mention a success you have had, he will steer the conversation around to his recent and more stellar success. Once you admire him for his wit or accomplishment, he is willing to be an equal, but all communication must be on his terms.
Pluto’s house location tells you where a person’s deepest desires lie and where that person will have the hardest struggle to realize his or her desires. When Pluto is angular, the chart, as a whole, will have a Plutonian emphasis and we can say that Pluto informs the whole chart. Pluto in the First House means that a person’s will and self-expression are essential to them. This person attracts experiences in life to allow them to dig into their soul for real power. When Pluto is in the Fourth House, conditions with one of the parents will be complicated by power struggles and feelings of alienation. In the Seventh House, the person will learn most of their life lessons through partnerships and the balance of power in relationships. In the Tenth House, Pluto offers career success, and frequently such a person is remembered long after their death; a member of this person’s family might say they “cast a large shadow” when describing their personality. Pluto in the Tenth House can also mean a person is so driven to succeed that they neglect other parts of their life. Accordingly, they are perhaps not comfortable with the success created. When Pluto is in non-angular houses, he still has a strong influence upon the house. It isn’t as if he can be tucked away in a benign house and forgotten. Pluto is a fascinating planet, and studying each person’s battleground gives you insight and compassion into their lives.
Pluto transits last a long time. When people are in the midst of heavy Pluto transits, they are living on a mundane level as well as another level where they must follow Pluto’s transforming energy. When Pluto entered Scorpio in 1983, I told a Scorpio friend, “You’re taking a trip through the underworld until 1995.” Now that I’m more experienced, I don’t think I would be so blunt, but in fact, the years the Scorpio transited his Sun were difficult. He had many personally upsetting experiences in love, was mugged in New York City twice within a two-week period, and had to place his mother in a nursing home. But he also began psychoanalysis and started to examine his personal underworld. At the end of this journey as Pluto left Scorpio, he completed his PhD in psychology, married, and found a job working as a psychologist with veterans. He survived his battle and was in a position to help others in their quest for wholeness and balance.
Because Pluto transits last a long time, we need to look at general trends rather than specific events. As you have gathered, wherever Pluto is located in the houses or by transits, that area of life will be intensified. A complete Pluto cycle takes 248 years. So far no one has completed one. The only significant aspects between your natal Pluto and transiting Pluto will be the square or opposition. The square is an important time as there will be a challenge between power that is expressed and power that remains latent and rumbling in the subconscious. When considering Pluto transits, always check your ephemeris, as Pluto’s eccentric orbit means that the age at which a person has certain Pluto aspects will vary. Those who receive aspects from Pluto will be involved with their personal transformation and be part of their generation’s contribution to the Earth’s development.
Pluto does retrograde for approximately four or five months each year. He will retrograde from April 25 to October 4, 2020, and from April 27 to October 6, 2021. Pluto retrograde in a natal chart is a subtle feeling and requires sensitivity and patience. The best way to describe it is that growth is hibernating.
When Pluto crosses into any of the angular houses, his strength and presence will be felt. This is especially true when Pluto crosses from the shadows of the Twelfth House, over the ascendant, into the angular First House. This can be a dramatic transit, and some people may not be prepared for the challenges of carving out a new personality and addressing all their problems. Not everyone will experience Pluto crossing their ascendant in their lifetime, but for those who do, and who learn to master Pluto’s power, there will be great rewards in terms of strength and self-confidence.
It may take awhile for a person to digest this energy and see how to use it. For example, the person in Chart 4 experienced Pluto crossing the ascendant in January 1998. As noted in Chapter 2, this person lives in a precarious balance between creative and self-destructive impulses. When Pluto crossed the First House cusp, he came face-to-face with many of his demons, mostly centered upon volatility and the use of power. A tamer example happened to a client who was not pleased with her figure. She became obsessed with her body image, and when Pluto crossed her ascendant, she finally decided to get breast implants. These are two slightly different transformational choices, but both fall under the umbrella of Pluto’s desire to transform and re-create the self.
In this section, we will take a look at how Pluto offers gifts and challenges to various generations according to their Pluto placement. Since Pluto remains in a sign for a significant amount of time, we can group generations according to the sign Pluto was in at their birth. These generational markers are the following: Pluto in Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn. Each generation plays a part in the planet’s evolvement as well as the personal deep transformation of its individual members.
Pluto in Leo ranges from 1939–1958, which covers the baby boom generation. The baby boom generation has also been called the “me generation” because baby boomers concentrated on their personal development. Leo energy is focused on self-expression, and Leo rules the theater, film, and TV worlds, and these industries became a focal point for many people in this generation. The self-help movement that helped people develop their unique personalities arose during the Pluto ingress through Leo.
The gift that Pluto in Leo souls offered us all was enormous creativity in the arts. We still enjoy the great rock and soul hits that Pluto in Leo people gave the world. The integration of the hippie and transcendent dreams of the baby boomers into society was, however, not realized. That will be the work of future generations. The Pluto in Leo generation’s gift is explosive creativity, and their challenge is avoiding self-centered indulgence.
The generation of Pluto in Virgo souls born between 1959 and 1972 has been called Generation X. It concentrates on service and self-sacrifice. Virgo has an innate interest in health and healing, and many of the alternate healing modalities we use today came about while Pluto was in Virgo. As a whole, the Pluto in Virgo generation is pragmatic and contributes to building an orderly and safe world. They are also prudent about money and making a living, more so than many of the baby boomers who were adults through the hippie era and who postponed many life decisions. The Pluto in Virgo generation’s gift to the world is discernment and practicality, and their challenge is overcoming narrow-mindedness and their tendency to overly criticize others.
In 1971, Pluto moved into Libra and remained there until 1983. This was a short transit of Pluto through a sign—only twelve years. It was also the first time that Pluto was in a sign that emphasized the self in relationship to others. This generation deeply influenced the institution of marriage; they invented the ideas of codependence and needing boundaries, and the beginnings of modern questioning of gender stereotypes began. Libran idealism and the search for balance forged new ways of being in relationships. Their gift to us all is the attempt to bring honesty and balance to relationships, and their challenge is overly idealistic ideas about how people relate and interact.
The millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) are, for the most part, the Pluto in Scorpio generation. Pluto entered Scorpio in 1983 and left the sign in 1995; it was also a relatively short transit (twelve years). Pluto in Scorpio brought in a profound interest in transformation and exploring what is hidden and often taboo. Spiritual regeneration is important to these souls, but in the wake of religious abuse scandals, traditional organized religion has become a less popular way to find spiritual comfort and practice. Belief and interest in astrology in many instances has become the millennials’ spiritual practice. The millennials are seeking truth and powerful experiences, often of a sexual nature. Gender fluidity and de-emphasized traditional sexual roles are now prevalent concepts in the Western developed world.
In the wake of the many possibilities to express sexual desires, the Pluto in Scorpio generation also witnessed the AIDS epidemic. The government and medical response to AIDS was woefully inadequate and narrow-minded. But, true to the transformative meaning of Pluto’s work, people began to look at medicine and healing in a different way; this was the positive transformation that benefited society and the Earth’s evolution. Again, we see the theme of transformation through intimate contact and the testing of limits. The Pluto in Scorpio generation’s gift is total and deep transformation; their challenge is to avoid extremes and destruction in the process.
Pluto moved to Sagittarius in 1995 and remained there until 2008. The generation dubbed Generation Z is breezy. With an emphasis on traveling and staying on the move, Generation Z is interested in technology as a way to bring a wider sense of connectedness that defies physical space. Social media became a way to communicate to and from anyplace in the world during this time. Computer fluency and the expectation that there must be an app for anything they need is part of their worldview. Pluto in Sagittarius is also well aware of the expanse of the global village. Those who can travel often just hit the road and see where it takes them (Asia is a favorite destination of this generation). And after they see the conditions in developing nations, they become more acutely aware of the interaction and interdependence between all people on the planet. Education (both practical and theoretical) plays an important part in this generation’s expectations.
Pluto in Sagittarius is extremely aware of climate change and the possible devastation of natural resources. This generation and subsequent generations will apply their technical skills to solving these complex energy problems. I believe they will lead us into a more balanced future.
The Pluto in Sagittarius generation are also religious, spiritual seekers. This may be through a private spiritual practice or organized religion. The Sagittarian search is for philosophy that answers the big questions of life: What is my purpose? What does it all mean? This search took a personal transformational approach in millennials, but in Generation Z it is more societal and global. The Pluto in Sagittarius generation’s gift is absolute honesty, and their challenge is squandered focus and lack of perseverance.
And finally, the current astrological generation is Pluto in Capricorn. They are the children born in the period from 2008 to 2024. It is interesting that as Pluto moved through Capricorn, the banking and loan crisis deepened. Capricorn rules structure, and this generation will build on the experience of the millennials, the philosophical pursuits of Gen Z, and their own ability to restructure energy sources, banking and monetary concerns, infrastructure, and hierarchy.
They are extremely pragmatic. The Pluto in Capricorn generation will be particularly noteworthy for changing structures in the US. In the US chart, Pluto is in Capricorn, and as a nation, it will experience a Pluto return in 2023. The confusion and chaos that many people currently feel will give rise to deep, fundamental planetary change. It will take time. Pluto in Capricorn souls will take action and create a plan to minimize the difference between the haves and the have-nots, get aid where it will truly be effective, and take action on finding new sources of energy. This generation vitally realizes that we sink or swim together. Their gift is effective structure and infrastructure; their challenge is rigid government control.
Before leaving the topic of generations and Pluto, an important factor is how the Pluto in Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn generations energetically work with their parents. It is an interesting dynamic. Many of the children born with Pluto in Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn are older souls and may be stronger in terms of soul development than their parents, who were born with Pluto in Leo, Virgo, and Libra. These newer generations are incarnating at this time to help the Earth and humanity develop and refine its energies.
Every new generation builds upon the achievements and expectations of the previous generation. In former times, the frontiers we explored were physical and land-oriented, but now the frontiers are technological and spiritual. We will continue to develop technological expertise, but in conjunction with new inventions and machines, people will start to adjust their sensibilities and psychology to resolve social problems in a different manner. Psychic abilities may become commonplace, and people’s view of the interdependence between ecology, health, psychology, and spirituality will grow. What is considered New Age and mystical now will be grounded in day-to-day experience to create a less toxic and more harmonious world. The Pluto in Leo, Virgo, and Libra parents of these vanguard generations will have to provide a nurturing environment for their kids even if they themselves are not particularly psychically attuned. In the coming years, this may be challenging as some members of these newer generations may exhibit abilities and sensitivities that are unfamiliar and feel strange to their parents.
To conclude: Pluto in each generation has done and will do his work. The younger generations will find their way and make major contributions to the expansion and health of the planet. I take comfort in the fact that the planets are always moving and that the evolution of each individual and our planet will contribute to both changing and preserving life on Earth. With these cycles of the transpersonal and outer planets in mind, let’s go to the next chapter and take a look at predictions.