When people write about Pluto, they almost always point out that in Roman mythology, this was the god of the underworld. I think that might be underplaying things just a bit. If you take it back to the earlier version, the Greek, you might get a better idea of what this represents: Hades. Of course in this respect, we’re talking about a God but, the place about sums it up, too. In essence, though, your own personal Hades. Of course, knowledge of Pluto gets just a bit murky on the planetary front when you look at astrology- and I have always found it just a little odd how so many paint the astrology of this planet as ancient when in fact, we didn’t even discover it until 1930. A little kid named it, incidentally, it’s a great story.
That said, if you go into any given astrology group on social media, you will find that in a very real sense, Pluto gets blamed for some weirder crap than even Mercury Retrograde. Those who refer to themselves as “Plutonian” do not mean that they think they’re from Pluto: they’re typically trying to write off why they’re so edgy, dark, and weird. That said, people with a heavier Pluto presence in their chart are usually a bit like that whether they know about it or not. It usually brings a sort of intensity, explosiveness, and obsessiveness. It rules Scorpio, so, you know, take it for what it's worth there.
Pluto is an odd one on all fronts. First off, is it a planet, is it not? Why couldn’t Eris and Pluto be a planet? (And yes, Eris is actually used in astrology as well.) Everyone gets to be a pope, shed the Aneristic Illusion.
Pluto has an odd, chaotic orbit. This is because the way that it doesn’t move along the same plane as the others- oh no, it’s bopping along kind of leaning to an angle of about 17 degrees and is elliptical. It’s also different because where as you can more or less have this general template with the other planets: Pluto may be in a sign 20 years, it may be in it for 12 years. Because of this, we refer to it as being generational in influence: that is, its placement more or less defines an entire generation. From about 2008 until 2024, it’s in Capricorn. Prior to that, 1995-2008 it was in Sagittarius, in 1984-1995, Scorpio and so forth. If you go back through like that to look at the generations and the changes of those times, it kind of makes more sense. For example, I mean, what do you think of when you think of Leo? Proud, rather self indulgent, a bit vain and short sighted well, Pluto was in Leo from 1937-1958 and well, if we’re going to do the whole generational finger pointing bit- that’s pretty much the Boomers. (In fairness, a handful of years there with the Silent Generation also.)
Now, talking about people with this influence strong in their charts isn’t a bad way to understand how it works. Pluto is this sort of jealous, power seeking, stubborn influence. More or less, the truth at any cost- whether it’s seeking it out or trying to hide it. This planet is all about transformation- in fact, it’s often referred to as the planet of creative destruction. Death, rebirth, let go- or be dragged.
The Retrograde
Now, you’d think a bit of a slow down on that front would not suck. Except, here’s the other thing, just like it doesn’t follow the same path as the other planets, it also doesn’t retrograde the same way. You know, everything going sideways with communication under Mercury retrograde because it’s going backwards in a sense- that’s what you’re used to, or at least, vaguely annoyed with hearing about. No, Pluto just gets even more intense. So, don’t expect that transformative events just kind of slow down and things mellow during this retrograde cycle: because it does not work that way. Consider a second what happens if you go backwards in your own development- getting a little Jungie with it. You slide back into yourself from your persona, dip down through the ego and what have you got? Pluto’s going backwards alright- right down into your shadow. Might be a good time to take a look at that, given, well, it’s still you. It’s a good time to unpack some baggage lest you start projection vomiting it everywhere.
